Too far from home
by Kuragari75
Summary: three girls have lost an arm, consciousness, and memory of the past all together after messing with alchemy. will it really turn out as bad as they thought? better than it sounds, I promise. RoyxOC HavocxOC rated T for violence
1. Chapter 1

**Tsume-n-carnet:** HELLO EVERYONE! yeah I know... yet ANOTHER story... but hey! They're fun ;)! don't worry I'll be updating my other fics soon, I've just been reading alot and I'm grounded from the comp during school days... so I'll only be able to update on weekends.. SORRY! neway, me and my friends Dragonelf 8 and Eternalruler have decided to split one fic. And this is it! this is how this will work, I'm writing the first intro chapter... but as our OC's split up, we will each be writting our own chapters... confusing huh? Well, you'll see what I mean later! So here you go!

**Disclaimer:** Neither me nor my friends own Fullmetal Alchemist... if we did, it would be alot longer and Eternalruler wouldn't have let Ed die so many times!

**Ps.** just so you know, the main oc's are all mary sue's, don't like that, don't read. if you don't mind, here's who's who... **Damon**: Dragonelf 8 **Laura**: me **Ericka**: Eternalruler.

It all begins

Damon Keo's head rested on tope of her desk as she stared blankly at her teacher. Damon's long brown hair swept across the desk considering she didn't want it to get caught in the bolts of her chair. Her head was pounding... she found it often did that at the end of the school day. Damon hated high school, like most teenagers... but luckily for her, this was her last year. Damon was 18 years-old already, and would soon be graduating.

Damon turned her attention to the numbers on her blue wristwatch, willing the time to go by faster. She sighed and pulled out her sketchpad to pass the time.

"Now there are three distribution patters on dispersal. However, we weill go over that tomorrow. Please pack up your things, the bell will ring in a few seconds," ordered the teacher as he turned off the overhead projector.

Damon gathered her pile of books and rushed out the door as the end of school bell rang. She wove her way through the crowded hallways to her top locker. It took some incredible skill to make through her school's hall way without getting run over.

"DAMON!"

Damon looked up to see one of her closest friends running up to her, carefully cradling a binder and a few books in her arms. The girl had sparkling gold hair in a small braid that barely past her shoulders. Her bangs were tickling the bottom of her chin and a single strand of hair stuck up from them. Blue eyes that glimmered with life watched Damon happily. The girl wore a black trench coat, a black shirt with a matching skirt and hard, brown leather boots.

"Hey Ericka," Damon greeted the girl, smiling.

"Hey," Ericka piped happily. "So, what are you doing after school today?" she asked.

"I'm going to help grandpa, but after that, I'm free," Damon answered curiously.

"Great!" Ericka practically screamed. "When you're done, can you come meet me at Laura's apartment? We want to show you something."

"Sure, ok," Damon answered, eyeing Ericka suspiciously. The blonde just smiled her mischevious grin.

"All right! See ya later, Damon," she called, bouncing away down the hall.

Damon laughed slightly as she watched her friend walk away before starting to open her locker. Gathering her books, Damon put her headphones on and climbed onto her bus, watching in relief as the school dissapeared from sight.

----- elsewhere-----

Laura Jensen rushed off campus as soon as her classes let out. She was a 19-year-old freshmen at the local collegewho had just barely started living on her own. Laura ran out to her beat-up blue jeep, climbing awkwardly into the vehicle, before heading towards her apartment. She was supposed to be meeting some friends after school and couldn't wait to get home.

Laura had been an orphan for as long as she could remember. The nuns who had taken care of her most of her life had not been able to tell her of her parents... as Laura had simply been abandoned on the orphanages' steps when she was still an infant. Laura was a brilliant artist and never let her past drag her down. She tried to stay upbeat, so none of her friends would worry, and was determined to live a happy life. She had managed to hold a steady job and save enough to buy her run-down jeep and a small apartment. All in all, she was doing well on her own.

Laura's blue eyes sparkled as she pulled in the parking garage. She fiddled endlessly with the small silver dreamcatcher around her neck. Laura dropped her black bag down inside the door and kicked off her black tenis shoes. She headed quickly into her computer room and sat down in the straight backed chair. She flipped her long brown braid behind her shoulder as she waited for her computer to boot up.

Laura pulled up the image she had saved from the internet earlier that week. It was a circle... but not just any circle. It was a very complex circle with many designs contained within it and small words scrolled delicately along lines. This, Laura had found out, was known as a transmutation circle. Laura and one of her closest friends, 18-year-old Ericka Lowell, had recently been researching a lost science known as alchemy.

So far, this circle was the only one they had managed to get a reaction from. But, according the rather... vague... instructions that occompanied it, _three_ people were needed for the circle to fully work.

-----with Damon-----

"MOM, DAD, GRANDPA, YUKI, AI! I'M HOME!" Damon called as she entered her house.

"WELCOME BACK!" her grandfather called from his room. "But your parents are out with Yuki and Ai."

Damon put her backpack down on her bed before going to her grandfather's bedroom. He lay peacefully in his bed, his wrinkled face smiling at her. Damon smiled back and sat beside the old man.

"So, how are you feeling?" Damon asked gently.

"Much better. The convuldions have been very mild today," her grandfather answered.

"Good. We want you to get better," Damon said, smiling.

"I know. So, what have you got planned today?"

"Ericka and Laura invited me over."

"Oh, how nice. Just don't get carried away with what ever you end up doing," Damon's grandfather cautioned with a glint of amusement in his eye.

"We don't get carried away," Damon responded defensively.

"Do I have to remind you of the ice incedent."

Damon sweat dropped at that.

"Okay, we'll be carefuly," she answered.

"Oh! before you go, can you go to my drawer and take out the jewelery box?" her grandfather asked. Curiously, Damon got up and went to the dresser and retrieved the beautifully carved box. When she brought it back, her grandfather lifted the lid to reveal its contents. The box was lined with green velvet, and placed delicately on the cloth, were four charms. Each one was a different shape and color. The first was a blue heart, the second was white wings, third was a green claw, and finally was a red orb. Damon looked curiously at the charms as her grandfather watched, smiling.

"These are our family treasures," explained her grandfather. "Each one represents an ideal our family must live by. The heart is love, the wings are wisdom, the claw is courage, and the orb is spirit. We must live these ideals... it's important that everyone in our family does."

"Why is that, grandpa?" Damon asked, tracing the winged charm with her finger.

"Live that way, and you'll find out," smiled her grandfather. "The charms used to go to a sword, but it has been lost. No one knows where it is now."

He smiled as he hooked each chain to one of Damon's belt loops.

"I figured it was time to hand them down... before it was too late."

"Don't talk like that!" Damon urged her grandfather. "You're going to get better... I know it!"

"Yes, of course," her grandfather answered, his eyes glazed slightly. "You better go, dear. Your friends are waiting."

Damon nodded and kissed her grandfather's forhead.

"I'll be back in a while, grandpa," she said calmly. Damon gathered her things together before heading out the door. Her grandfather smiled after her before laying back to stare blankly at the ceiling.

"One day, dear,you'll go on a grand adventure. I'll protect you in spirit... always," he whispered as his eyes began to dim.

-----at Laura's apartment-----

'Ding Dong!'

"Ericka, will you get the door?" Laura asked over her shoulder.

"Sure," Ericka answered. She quickly ran over to the door and opened it to find Damon.

"Hey!" Ericka greeted her friend.

"Hey, where's Laura?" Damon asked, walking through the door.

"She's in the computer room," Ericka answered, leading the way. They found Laura at the computer, sitting comfortably in her black sweatshirt and jeans.

"So, what did you guys want to show me?" Damon asked, peeking over the older girl's shoulder.

"This," Laura answered, motioning at the circle on the screen. "It's called a transmutation circle. Me and Ericka got it to light up strangely when we touched it. But according to the directions... If three people touch the rims of the circle, something will happen."

"That's awefully vague," Damon said skeptically.

"That's what I said..." Ericka laughed. "Hey, Damon, where'd you get the charms?"

"Oh, they're from my grandfather. Let's try this then, shall we?" Damon started, putting her hands on the computer screen. Laura and Ericka smiled before following suite.

At first, nothing happened. Then, the circle began to glow a bright blue and a wind picked up around the three friends. Damon's brown hair flew about her face, Laura and Ericka having theirs secured in braids. Suddenly, bright, golden lights began to circle around them. Laura's bright blue eyes watched in wonder as the light enveloped them. But then, something went wrong as the lights changed to a dark pruple and black. Ericka looked about them worriedly as the room about them began to dissapear. She watched as Damon and Laura dissapeared as well, and then all she could see was white.

Laurawatched in horror as bothDamon and Ericka dissapeared before her eyes; both of the girls screaming, calling out for each other.

"LAURA!"They both screamed at once, but then, they were both gone. Suddenly, there was only white, like a great void encompassing Laura. In front of her was a huge, stone gate. A large eye carved in the door seemed to peirce her very soul.Laura tore her eyes away from the great structure before her to look around. Nothing but white.

"Damon... Ericka?" Whimpered Laura, truly terrified now. She spun around several times, desperately searching the white scape for her friends, her dream-catcher necklace shimmering in the strange light.

A loud creaking sound came from behind her andLaura spun to once again face the gate. The doors... had opened. Millions of horrible... tortured... hungry eyes watched her from the darkness beyond the threshold. A sadistic laughter rang in her ears as suddenly she was seized by thousands of claw-like hands. She found herself being dragged into the gate. Laura screamed, trying to get away, but the hands were too strong and she was swallowed by the darkness. Suddenly, vast amounts of knowledge poured into her mind, causing her mind to careen out of control. There was so much... too much... she couldn't take this! Laura screamed again, trying desperately to make the pain stop. She opened her eyes to find the hands closing about her head... no... about her mind. The hands raked ruthelessly through her mind, her thoughts, her memories, nothing was left untouched by the agonizing claws.

Suddenly, it was all gone. She couldn't remember anything. Where was she? Who was she? What was she doing here? As she felt herself slipping into unconciousness... all she could hear was someone screaming.

"_LAURA!"_

**Tsume-n-carnet:** so, there ya go! what do you think? They get into the fma world next chapter. The next chapter is going to come from Dragonelf 8. Hope to get reviews from y'all! and no flames... none of us like those! ;P kk, later!


	2. Chapter 2

Tsume-n-carnet: So, not too many reviews last chapter but that's ok! I figure we probably need to get a couple chapters up before you get hooked ;)!So, this chappie is from Dragonelf 8, the next chappie will be from Eternalruler... whenever we actually get her to write her chapter! btw, we don't own the song 'no giving up', Crossfade does! kk, here ya go!

Rockbells

Damon struggled with all of her might against the black hands that held her. They were pulling her into a large black gate that set all of Damon's nerves on end. She cried out in pain as the hands dragged her into the gate. Her head began to be filled with something and the pain intensified. There was too much for her... she felt like her head was going to explode.

"STOP IT!" Damon screamed. The filling stopped, but then there was a loud ripping and cracking noise as pain peirced her left shoulder. Damon looked in horror as the claws ripped at it. She screamed as tears poured from her eyes. Then, the muscles, vessels, and bones gave way and the arm was ripped clean off of her body.

Damon screamed so loud she swore her vocal cords would burst. She saw stars as her head hit something hard along with the rest of her body. All she could feel was pain as she lay on the hard surface, unaware of her surroundings... all she knew at that moment was the pain.

-----elsewhere-----

Den barked loudly as he scratched as Winry's bedroom door. The girl in the room ignored her dog as she continued to sleep.

"DEN! Shut up!" Theblonde yelled at the door. Suddenly she heard a loud thud from somewhere downstairs in the house followed by a scream. She burst out of bed and ran to the door. She found her small Aunt Pinako already in the hallway.

"Winry, what was that?" Pinako asked. Winry shook her head and ran for the stairs, her aunt right behin her. Den had already bolted down and was now barking at something in the living room. Winry and Pinako ran in and flicked on the light. The room hadn't been touched since to two had gone to bed, but in the center of the room was a pool of blood surrounding a girl who was crumpled in a ball. Electricity was eminating from her body in little sparks. Pinako immediately ran over to the girl and knelt beside her.

The girl was young, couldn't have been much older than Winry, and she had long brown hair. Pinako easily found the reason for all the blood. The girl's left arm was completely missing.

"Winry, get bandages, towels, and a bucket of water," Pinako instructed her niece. Winry immediately rushed out of the room after the items as Den sniffed at the young girl's hair. The girl let out a very loud whimper every once in a while but she was completely obliviousto everything around her. When Winry returned Pinako had her help move the girl to the couch. Pinako then removed the girl's shirt so she could examine the shoulder easier.

Pinako took the towel from Winry and soaked it in the water. She cleaned the shoulder stub as best she could and then bandaged it tightly. She managed to stop the bleeding and the girl had long since fallen into a painful sleep.

"Who is she?" Winry asked over her aunt's shoulder.

"I don't know," she sighed. "Here, help me move her to the guest room."

Pinako and Winry picked up the girl and moved her to the guest room upstairs.

"Winry," Pinako instructed. "Will you see if that girl had anything with her. I'll get things to clean up the blood."

"All right," Winry agreed as she moved back to the living room. She looked over everything that was theirs first... nothing out of place. So, she moved to where to girl had been. No arm anywhere... what in the world happened to that girl? Winry found a brown bag with a few notebooks, a strange little machine with odd looking discs, and pencils. Other than that, ther was nothing.

'What's gong on?' Winry thought in confusion.

After Winry and Pinako got everything cleaned up, Winry volunteered to check on the girl every few hours. Pinako agreed and went straight back to bed. Den had dissapeared into the strange girl's room and had settled down next to her on the bed.

-----Two days later-----

Damon's eyes fluttered open to the bright morning sun, to an unfamiliar ceiling. Her arm was numb... she couldn't feel it at all. There was a slight weight on her chest and the sound of breathing. She looked down to see a big black and white dog sleeping next to her withits head on her chest.

'Where am I?' thought Damon, but then, the memories hit her. Damon looked to her left shoulder to find that not only could she not feel her arm... but it was completely gone.

"So you're finally up," a voice said from beside her. Damon looked over to see a small old woman standing in the doorway. She wore a green dress, with an apron over it and a long pipe was in her mouth. The black dog jumped off of the bed and went to stand next to the woman. That's when Damon noticed that it had one metal leg.

"Who are you? Where am I?" Damon asked in a small, strained whisper.

"My name is Pinako Rockbell and your in my home. It's in a small town called Risembool," answered Pinako.

"Risembool? I've never heard of that place before," Damon said, her voice gaining a little more volume. "How did I get here?"

"I don't know... but would you mind telling me who you are, dear?" Pinako asked kindly.

"Oh, sorry," Damon started. "My name is Damon. Damon Keo."

The dog came back over and licked her hand.

"Your dog's friendly... what happened to his paw?" Damon asked as she scratched the dog's head.

"Den got into an accident when he was younger... we fixed him up with auto-mail though," Pinako answered, smiling at how Den wagged his tail.

"Auto-mail?"

"Yes. It's a type of prostetic. My granddaughter, Winry, and I are mechanics. We make auto-mail imbs for those who have lost their own."

"Oh... I see," Damon sighed. She hardly understood though as her head was still a little foggy.

"Here, we found this downstairs," Pinako said. Walking over and handing a brown bag to Damon. She took and set it on the sheets as she slowly sat up. Pinako assisted her and propped Damon up with a pillow.

"Yes, thank you... it's mine," Damon told her, smiling weakly.

"Good. I'll go let Winry know you're up," Pinako smiled back and left the room.

Damon stared at the wall in front of her. She was trying to sort out everything that happened in that gate. She saw her friends in her mind, dissapearing as the memory flashed by. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered being the first one to place her hands on that circle.

"I'm sorry..." Damon whimpered as tears began to fall. "I'm so sorry... Laura... Ericka... It's my fault... and I'm so sorry!"

Den whimpered beside Damon and licked her hand. She smiled through the tears and rubbed his head greatfully for the sympathy. But it didn't make her feel any less guilty.

-----A day and a half later-----

Damon had bearly moved an inch. It hurt too much to move. Not physically, but emotionally. She was trapped within her own thoughts, within her own guilt... she couldn't help but feel dead to everything but that guilt. It was like she was literally withering away.

Winry and Pinako were really starting to worry about the young girl. As far as they could tell, noone had any idea who the young girl was. There weren't any missing person ads that described her either... as far as they could tell... she just appeared from nowhere. They found Damon was eating little to nothing and her shoulder wound wouldn't heal up all the way. Finally, Winry figured she had better talk to the young woman and figure out what was eating away at her. She went into the guest room and sat at Damon's bedside.

"Damon..." Winry started, getting the girl's attentive green gaze. "Me and Granny were wondering if you'd like to get an auto-mail arm?"

Damon looked shocked... that seemed like a really random question.

"Uh... that's very kind of you... but, I don't have any money," Damon answered.

"Oh no, don't worry about money," Winry answered smiling. "We'll do a free job!"

When Damon didn't answer, she stood and patted Damon's arm.

"Well, you think about it... all right?" she offered before leaving the room.

Damon sighed and frowned to herself as she once again left in silence with her torturing thoughts. Finally unable to take it any more, she pulled out her CD player and started the music. She had to distract herself from her thoughts. Damon's green eyes widened as the first song began playing.

_So you found out today your life's not the same,_

_Not quiet as perfect as it was yesterday,_

_When you were just in the groove,_

_Now your faced with something new._

_And I know it hurts,_

_And I know you feel torn,_

_But you never gave up this easily before._

_So why do you choose today to give it all away?_

_Well is that so bad,_

_Well together we all fall,_

_Just as long as we get up we'll stand tall._

_We shouldn't waste another day,_

_Thinking aboutall the things we forgot to say._

_I'm kicking back it all,_

_Kicking these four walls._

_Just as hard as I can 'til I can't crawl._

_I won't waste another day with all these silly things within my brain._

_There's no giving up now._

_Do you really want to give this all away?_

_Can't you ever see things in a different way, someday._

_(Don't give it up now.)_

_Such a beautiful thing to throw away. _

_Don't you think things through over again, yeah, all over again._

Damon turned off the CD player, suddenly feeling different. She pushed herself up into a sitting position, the first time she'd sat up on her own since arriving at the Rockbell's. It was tricky, considering her upper body felt off balance and she could only use one arm... but she did it. Damon looked down at where her left arm used to be.

'I'm still alive...' she told herself. 'Laura and Ericka are stronger than me... so if I survived, there's no way they could be dead. They're still alive... I know it! I'll find them.'

"I swear you guys," Damon finished in a whisper, as if saying it out loud would set it in stone. "I will find you."

-----with Winry-----

"Granny," Winry started as she rested on the living room couch. "I'm worried about Damon."

"I know... me too," Pinako answered from the other end of the couch. "She must've been through something really terrible."

"I wonder what could have happened to her?"

"Be patient, Winry..." Pinako advised her granddaughter. "She will tell us when she's ready."

"Winry... Mrs. Rockbell?" A voice sounded from the doorway. Winry started to see Damon leaning against the door frame. The strange keychains hooked to her belt shimmered brilliantly. She looked at them with a fierce determination that reminded both Rockbell's of a certain blonde alchemist.

"Damon..." Pinako said, standing. "It's good to see you up and about."

"Thank you... for everything... but, I need to ask you for something else," Damon said, a little shyly. "I know I don't have any money now... but I'll pay you back when I can..."

"Auto-mail?" Winry guessed. Damon nodded, her green eyes hard and stern. Pinako took a deep breath.

"It'll hurt," she said.

"I know," Damon answered, her eyes never loosing their determination. "It doesn't change anything."

"I have a feeling you'll recover quickly anyway," Pinako said, smiling slightly. "Now why is that?"

"I've got something I need to do... it's extremely important," Damon said smiling. Pinako nodded.

"Well, we'll start as soon as possible," Winry stated, standing. "But you're absolutely sure? This hurts... a lot!"

"I know, but I'm prepared to do whatever it takes. There's someone I need to find and I'll do whatever I can to get to them," answered Damon. Winry and Pinako shared a knowing look, and then nodded to Damon.

"Right then, let's get started," Pinako said, leading Damon to the operation room.

Tsume-n-carnet: Ok, there ya go! I think I'm gonna post my chapter next 'cause I already have it done and Eternalruler's still working on hers... but we'll get things in order eventually ;P! kk, hope you liked it and review please! But, no flames... we hate those :)! thanks y'all!


	3. Chapter 3

**Tsume-n-carnet:** Like I said... this chapter's from me. I know I just posted the other chapter... but I figured I'd get this one up while I could :)! I'm not allowed on the computer during the school week... so here you go! btw, I made Laura a little older... she's now 22. I thought 19 just seemed to young for her... kk, to the story!

Just Laura

Colonel Roy Mustang quickly unlocked his car and jumped inside, trying to stay as dryas possible in the current downpour. He hated the rain! Also known as the Flame Alchemist, the raven-haired man had a grudge against theannoying percipitation that hindered his fire abilities and made him vulnerable.

Roy started the car as he threw a rather thick envelope of papers onto the passenger seat. Paperwork... another well known nemisis of the Colonel's. This particular file was "homework" he'd recieved on his way out the door from his first Lt. If that Lt. had been anyone other than Riza Hawkeye... a short-tempered blonde who happened to be the best shot in the entire state military... Roy would've blown it off. But he really didn't feel like facing the sharp shooter and her favorite pistol on Monday morning.

Roy drove grumpily through the rain as he thought about how he was going to have to do work over the weekend. Suddenly a dark form entered the lights from his car, forcing Roy to slam on the breaks. He barely managed to avoid hitting the object as his car skidded to a stop. Roy cursed fluently and looked up to see a rather frightened young woman standing in front of his car. She was wearing a black sweater and jeans and her hair was brown, damp, and secured in a braid that ran down her back.

Roy climbed out of the car, subconciously flinching as the water poured onto his head. His dark eyes met the woman's blue ones for a brief moment before he stepped forward.

"Miss? Are you all right?" He asked. The woman just stared at him blankly, her skin a ghostly pale. "Miss?" Roy tried again.

This time, the woman responded... by fainting. Roy rushed forward and managed to catch the unconcious girl just before she hit the ground. After a short inspection for any injuries, Roy concluded that she had just fainted. He lifted her gently and went to his car, opening the back door. He laid the woman down across the back seat and did a more thorough examination, just to make doubly certain there weren't any injuries. He made sure she wouldn't go flying around the car if he stopped and started driving to his house. The woman just needed rest so he figured there was no reason to take her to a hospital. Roy cursed again as he realized he was now completely soaked.

Once at his house, he quickly picked up the brunette and headed for the door. He had an awkward time juggling the girl and his keys, but he finally managed to get the door unlocked without dropping her. Roy kicked off his shoes and then settled the woman on his couch. He wrestled her out of the black sweatshirt she was wearing and found a black tank-top underneath. He went to his bathroom and grabbed a couple towels.

He set to work drying the woman off as best he could. He removed her boots and socks but left her pants and tank-top on... since he doubted a stranger would appreciate waking up in a strange house they'd never seen before and finding their clothes had been removed. As he gently undid the long brown braid of hair and started to dry it, he noticed a delicate, silver dreamcatcher on a chain around the girl's neck. It was a beautiful pendant and he took a moment to admire it.

Once Roy had gotten her dried off, he quickly checked her over for any identification. She didn't have a wallet or Id on her. Roy sighed and covered her with blankets before going to his phone. He dialed the number of someone he figured could help him figure out who this girl was.

"Hello?" a female voice sounded on the other end.

"Hello Gracia?" Roy started. "It's Roy... I was wondering if I could talk to your husband?"

"Of course, Roy," Gracia chuckled. "Just let me get him."

"Thanks." Roy heard some voices on the other line until finally, his best friend picked up the phone.

"Roy?" Maes Hughes said into the reciever.

"Hey Hughes," Roy said, smiling.

"What's up? You hardly ever call me at home, Roy..."

"I know, but I need your help. I picked up this girl on my way home and I..."

"Whooo, Roy you dog! Is she pretty? Are you going to marry her? 'Cause you know you need a wife..."

"HUGHES! It's not like that. She ran out in front of my car and when I got out to see if she was ok..."

"You hit her with your car?" Hughes said in a shocked and apalled voice.

"WOULD YOU LET ME FINISH!" Roy bellowed. "I DIDN'T HIT HER, but when I got out she fainted. She's on my couch right now, unconcious and I need to know who she is. She didn't have any type of identification on her."

"Ah, so you need my skills as head of cheif investigations, huh?" Hughes asked smugly. Roy rolled his eyes. He loved Hughes like a brother, butMAN he could be irritating!

"If you don't mind," Roy said through clenched teeth. "I just need to get a hold of this girl's family and let them know where she is."

"Well, if you give me a physical description, I might be able to find something," Hughes agreed.

Roy hung up the phone after about another ten minutes of talking and stretched. He looked over at the woman on his couch. She was younger... probably around 23 or so. She was quiet pretty, her delicate eyebrows only slightly darker than her dark brown locks. She looked athletic as her body was muscular... but still slim. Roy hoped she wouldn't freak out whenever she woke up... it'd be nice if they could get off to a good start.

He stretched again and yawned, deciding to go and take a shower so he could warm up and then change.

-----about and hour later-----

Roy was walking back downstairs, when suddenly he heard a scream. He bolted to the living room to see the young woman had woken up. Her blue eyes were wide with fright and confusion as she looked frantically about the room. Her breathing was fast with panic as her eyes settled on Roy.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she asked frantically. Roy held up his hands as if to say 'I mean no harm.'

"It's all right, your safe. My name is Colonel Roy Mustang and you're in my home," he said calmly, taking a small, slow step forward.

"Your home?" she said in confusion. Roy nodded, taking another step forward.

"You fainted after running into the road. You were unconcious but you didn't seem hurt so I brought you here to recover," he explained calmly. He was pleased to see her breathing slow and her eyes fill with recognition as she remembered the encounter on the road.

"Oh, uh... thanks," she said, quietly. Roy sat down on the table that was beside the couch, his coal-black eyes gentle.

"What's your name?" he asked calmly. the girl looked at him in an almost confused manner, as if she didn't understand the question. After a moment, she simply said one name.

"It's... it's Laura," she answered. Roy thought she sounded a little unsure about that.

"Laura... and your last name?" he asked. The girl, Laura, stared back at him blankly.

"Uh, I don't... know," she said slowly. It was Roy's turn to look confused.

"You don't know your last name?" he checked. Laura shook her head slowly. "Let me ask you something, ok Laura? Have you ever heard of Central?"

"Central? No... is... that a city?" she asked in turn. Roy just nodded.

"In fact, it's the very city we're in right now."

"Oh... uh... I've never heard of it..." Laura's brow scrunched as if she was thinking hard. "At least... I don't think I have."

'She sounds like she has amnesia,' Roy thought with suprise.

"Laura, do you remember anything before you ran out in front of my car?" he asked gently. Laura got that look again that said she was thinking really hard.

"No," she sighed, shaking her head slightly. "I... I don't remember... anything... before I was in a park and ran towards the road."

"All right, well," Roy started. This was deffinately getting complicated. "Laura, how about this. A friend of mine is trying to figure out what you can't remember as we speak. So, why don't you rest here tonight... don't worry, you can trust me... and you can stay in my spare room and we'll see what we see tomorrow. Ok?"

Laura looked into Roy's eyes for a long moment, blue ones locked with black, and he knew that she was still very intelligent, even if she couldn't remember much right now. Slowly, she nodded.

"That's very kind of you," she said, offering a weak smile. Roy froze for a second. She had a beautiful smile... even when it was small like that. He smiled back and stood.

"All right, follow me then," he said kindly. She nodded and stood, a little shaky. Roy watched her, to make sure she wouldn't faint again, as he lead her into his spare room.

"Uh... your clothes are a little wet. I can offer you something to sleep in if you like?" Roy offered, watching her sit on the bed. She smiled again slightly.

"That'd be nice... Roy, right?"

Roy chuckled and nodded, before moving to his room. He picked one of his large night shirts and then a pair of pajama pants. He walked back to the spare room and offered them to Laura.

"Sorry if they don't fit," he apologized. Laura took the clothes.

"Oh, no... they'll do just fine. Thank you," she said. Roy nodded.

"This must be strange to you, huh?" he said quietly.

"Yeah... but... hopefully, your friend will find something right?" she said with fake humor. Roy offered a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, well, try to get some rest," he said. Laura nodded and Roy left her so she could change and try to sleep.

**Tsume-n-carnet:** kk, sorry if it sucks, but... there ya go! please review! btw, does anyone actually know how old Roy is... like... before Hughes dies and all that? I'm not sure... anyway! hope to hear from y'all! no flames please! LATER!


	4. Chapter 4

**Tsume-n-carnet:** all right, Eternal ruler is procratinating big time and not getting in her chapter... so, I'm just going to go ahead to Dragonelf 8's next chapter! But first... I would like to clear something up... mainly to our only reviewer so far.

**One,** you're right... most anime girls freak out for no reason... and no, we don't hate you! actually, as our only reviewer... we love you! **Two,** I've got some news you should know... Dragonelf 8 isn't a 'ladies man' ... because SHE'S A GIRL! If you look on her profile it should say that. Don't worry, no harm no foul, you can't really tell over the internet ;p! so, just for your own good Demius, I thought you should know, k? oh, and **three,** yes she goes with Roy, because I love him and she's based off of me! ;)! good guess! ... keep reading, ok? PLEASE! Love from all three of us...for anyone reading this! to the story now!

Damon

Damon lay on the table, sweat dripping from every pore on her body. Her shoulder was bleeding, but it was under control as Pinako and Winry worked to connect Damon's nerves to wires in the auto mail limb. Her legs strained as she kicked the thick metal table. It felt like all of her nerves were on fire and she cringed against the pain. She had been under anasthesia while the iron framing that was molded into her collarbone and ribs had been attached... but this part required her senses to be alert. Damon involuntarilly kicked at the table again, her nerves jerking painfully as she did her best not to focus on the pain. Occasional screams and suppressed moans issued every once in a while as she fought the intense urge to curl into a ball.

"Just try to bear with it Damon," Winry crooned comfortingly. "It'll be over soon."

"I can take it," gasped Damon, fighting back tears. "When I think... of the pain my family's been through... this... i-isn't so bad."

"What do you mean by that?" Pinako asked, desperate to keep the girl talking and distracted.

Damon didn't know if it was the pain, or the fever in her mind, but she began to talk... saying anything that came to mind.

"My grandfather suffers from strokes," she started. Damon's speech was haulted once in a while do to new waves of pain. "My family know he doesn't have much longer... so we... brought him to stay with us. Even though I know it's hopeless... well... I'm still trying to convince myself that he could still... live through it. I love my family and I'd do anything to make them happy. It's the same with... my friends. Whenever I get too much of something... I feel horribly selfish and I hate that feeling with a passion." Damon's mind was becoming for fuzzy and she began to speak without thinking about what she was saying. "I was selfish... when I was with my friends... I did something because I was too curious... and now I'm here. My friends are probably... somewhere too. But it's not their fault... it's mine! I got selfish and placed my hand on the circle first... now... the pain... and that place... it was so dreadful... and it's my fault!" Damon stopped speaking as she fought another wave of pain, moaning loudly with the effort. Winry and Pinako exchanged confused and worried glances.

'A circle? Does she mean a transmutation circle?' Winry thought as she continued to work. 'And what about that place? I remember... Ed said something similar during his surgery. I wonder if it's connected somehow? I'll have to tell him about this girl next time he visits.'

----A few days later----

Damon sat in her bed, looking down at a metal palm. She practiced using her fingers by flexing and relaxing her hand repeatedly. After a few days... it still felt weird to be moving without using organic muscles. The cold of the metal against her skin had shocked her the first morning she woke after the surgery... but she was getting used to it. Damon lifted and flexed her arm a few times experamentally, wondering at the skills of the two mechanics who had taken her in.

"So, how do you like your new arm?"

Damon looked up, suprised to see Winry standing in the doorway. The blonde was smiling at her and Damon returned the sentiment. She had gotten to know the rockbells in the past week or so, and Damon was becoming rather attached to the mechanic.

"It feels weird having metal for skin," Damon admitted truthfully. Winry nodded, coming to sit next to Damon on the edge of the bed.

"Everyone says that at first, but don't worry, you'll get used to it. I made the metal twenty percent lighter than the last auto-mail I made. It shouldn't weigh you down much," Winry beamed with pride as she explained the arm. But then she changed the subject, remembering why she had originally come to Damon's room.

"Listen, me and granny are going into town and I thoughtyou could probably use some new clothes," she said smiling. Damon blushed slightly, looking down at the torn and stained shirt she'd been wearing this whole time.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she admitted.

"Well, if there's anything you usually don't wear, you should probably tell me." At Damon's confused look, Winry elaborated. "You know, like types of clothing, or colors you don't like..."

"Hmmm, I hate skirts and clothes that show too much skin. I like baggy clothes and the only colors I really like to where are red, black, white, and green... is that good?" Damon said. Winry nodded.

"That's perfect," she said, though she couldn't help thinking... 'Red and black, okay that's a strong reminder of a certain blonde alchemist I know.'

Looking over Damon she developed a new thought as well.

'Maybe I'll get her and alchemy book... she might like that.'

"Ok, Damon. Me and granny will be back soon. You can relax here or even go for a walk if you would like."

Damon smiled and nodded as she watched the young mechanic leave. Den sat right beside her, as he had done for a while, moving on his back when she moved to rub his tummy. The two moved outside onto the lawn for a little while, Den insisting that Damon continue to rub his stomach. Damon smiled and stopped after a little while, clapping her hands together. Den looked up at her curiously.

"What do you say we go for a walk Den? I want to look around a little," said Damon, pushing herself to her feet. "Come on boy!"

Den barked happily and ran after Damon, neither noticing the missing patch of grass where Damon had placed her hand. It had been replaced by a small loaf of bread.

The two walked around in the neighboring feilds and paths for a time before they came upon an empty lot. It looked like it may have held a house at one point... and the charred tree next to the lot offered evidence of the houses destruction. Damon explored the ground, noting where she could see where the walls and even a fireplace had once stood.

There was a loud 'crunch' when she stepped on something. Damon looked down to see it had been a dirty metal toy horse. Slowly, she bent down and picked it up, finding another one buried right beside it. It was like th horse only it was shaped like a pig and the metal was a little darker.

'This must have been a house with children once,' Damon thought solemnly. 'I wonder what happened to them. Maybe they left after the fire?'

Damon looked up when she noticed the sun setting. Den was by her side tugging anxiously at her pant leg. Damon smiled.

"You're right boy, it's late," she said, patting his head. She stood still clutching the toysin her hands."Let's head back, Den."

After a little run the two came back to the brightly lit house.With a knock, Damon entered the house with Den. Winry and Pinako smiled at her from the couch. Winry approached Damon with a brown bag and handed her a leather-bound book. Damon examined it curiously before reading the title.

"Introduction to Alchemy...?" she stated with confusion evident in her voice. A small bell rang in her head.

'I thought Laura said that alchemy was a forgotten science...' Damon thought, still looking over the book. 'Then again, that circle did work... so maybe it isn't all forgotten and some people might use it.'

"Thanks Winry," she said finally, smiling at her new friend.

"What's that you got?" Pinako called from the couch, noticing Damon was clutching something.

"These?" she started, holding up the toys. "I found them in a vacant lot. It was kind of weird. Do you know whose these might have been?"

"... those... those belonged to Ed and Al," Winry answered, her face falling slightly.

"Ed and Al?" Damon repeated.

"Edward and Alphonse Elric," Pinako elaborated, starring at the toys. "They're family friends of ours. Winry, Ed, and Al used to play with each other when they were kids."

"Oh," Damon said. "Are they still around?"

"Not really. Ed's a state alchemist and Al follows his brother everywhere. They haven't visited home in quite a while but we here from them now and again. Their house burned down soon after they left, you see," Pinako explained.

"Oh," Damon said again.

"Damon, can I keep those," Winry asked hopefully.

Damon looked at the blonde who seemed ready to burst into tears. Apparently these two boys meant alot to her.

"Of course," she answered, readily handing the toys over. "But I have another question... what's a state alchemist?"

Winry and Pinako looked at her as if she had suddenly grown another head.

"You don't know about the state alchemists?" Pinako asked in disbelief.

"Well, I didn't think there would be alchemists working for any state... seeing as how it's a forgotten science and all," Damon responded timidly.

"Alchemy is hardly forgotten dear," Pinako explained. "A state alchemist is someone with alot of Alchemic knowledge who works for the military. They fund that alchemists research, pays them, and gives them access to the military libraries in Central. But the military uses them as weapons and attack dogs. Just like they did in the Ishbalan war."

Damon's eyes widened as she listened to Pinako talk.

'Alchemy is still around and funded by the military... A place called Ishbal exists that I've never heard of... there was a war, again, that I've never heard of... and it seems everyone knows about alchemy. But I didn't even hear of it until just recently,' she thought in a slight panic.

"Uhh... Mrs. Rockbell, would I be able to see a world map or something," Damon asked.

Pinako stared at her for a moment, but then fetched an atlas and gave it to Damon. Damon stared at the maps inside, the land shape, the cities, the rivers; they were all unfamiliar to her. The memory of the gate appeared in her mind again and she swayed a little. Quietly she closed the book and handed it back, acting as if nothing even happened.

"Thank you. I think I'll go to bed early today," Damon said, turning to leave.

"You won't have dinner?" Winry asked, watching the girl climb the stairs.

"No thank you, I'm not feeling well," Damon answered.

"Oh, well here. These are the clothes we got you. You should make sure they fit," Winry said, handing Damon the brown bag she had been holding. Damon took it with a nod and went to her room.

"Was it something we said?" Winry wondered outloud.

"I don't know," answered Pinako, shrugging. "But alchemy a forgotten science? Only when pigs fly!"

Damon stared at the ceiling. Everything seemed to be falling into the place... but it made her even more stressed than before.

"We didn't go to some random place on earth," Damon whispered to herself. "We went to an entirely different world, were alchemy is law."

Damon wasn't sure how she knew all of this... but she knew. Things had deffinately gotten much more complicated. Not only did she not have a clue where the others were... but she didn't even know where she was! Much less where to start looking!

Damon knew she couldn't just go around saying she was from a different world. They'd think she was nuts and lock her up somewhere! Then she remembered what Pinako had said about state alchemists.

'That might work,' Damon thought hopefully. 'I could work to become a state alchemist. With their resources I should have better luck finding my friends. I'll have to learn alchemy and work to get stronger... but I know I can do it. I have to... and I have to get it done as soon as possible!'

Damon looked over at the alchemy book on her pillow and picked it up. She started reading... but after the first few pages, she realized she already knew all of this! How was that possible... she also knew that there was somehow a better way to do alchemy than by transmutation circles. How did she know that!

The gate once again flashed in her mind and she remembered the point where her head had been ready to explode... now she knew why.

"Those monsters! They shoved it into my head," Damon realized, slightly horrified.

Those... things... obviously wanted her to do more alchemy so she would end up returning to them. But if all of this was true... then Damon knew she could use alchemy differently than with a circle. She thought about it for a long moment before tearing a page out of her sketch book.

'If this works... I'll, I'll... were a frilly pink dress!' Damon dared herself... with something she wouldn't do in a million years! Damon clapped her hands firmly together then placed them on the paper. In a flash, the paper had changed into a very small wooden bird. Damon's eyes widened and remembered her dare.

'No one will ever know that I said that,' thought Damon as she laughed nervously. She wouldn't be caught dead in a dress like that... no matter what she said.

dragonelf 8: okay, there we go for Damon... for now. NO PINK FRILLY DRESS!

Tsume-n-carnet: I agree shudder


	5. Chapter 5

Tsume-n-carnet: Ok, so once again, my friend Eternal ruler has been caught slacking off and I am forced to go ahead and just put up my next chapter. I know, I know, she's being such a procrastinator right now... but me and Dragonelf are going to get after her at school tomorrow, so hopefully she'll at least give us material so that we can just write her chapters for her! anyway, on to my next chapter and an update about Ericka will be added, whenever one of the three of us gets around to it ;)! Enjoy!

Ps. (as if this isn't long enough already) this is probably going to come out as a fairly long chapter! LATER!

Nightmares of Alchemy

Laura tossed and turned that night in the unfamiliar bed, surrounded by an unfamiliar room. She had known right off that there was no chance in hell she was going to be able to sleep tonight. Not that she didn't trust the Colonel... he actually seemed quiet nice and Laura was suprised how calm he made her feel. It was the simple fact... that she had no idea where or even _who_ she was! Ok, so, maybe it wasn't that simple.

She racked her brain for hours, trying to remember something, ANYTHING, before she had woken up in the park... soaked from the rain. But no matter how hard she tried, Laura couldn't come up with anything. And everytime she tried, a horrible pain exploded in her head and she was forced to give up. It was as if it simply wasn't there... like her mind had been swept completely clean!

Another thing that was bothering her, was her name. She didn't even know if that WAS her real name... but when Roy had asked her... she could hear someone's voice in her head scream 'Laura' and she just assumed it was hers.

Laura felt like screaming... tearing down the walls... throwing herself off the roof... she was so _FRUSTRATED_!

At long last, she just sighed and finally gave up completely on trying to rest, casting a miserable glance at the clock. 6:30 A.M.

'Damn,' Laura moaned inwardly. 'Well, I suppose it can't be helped. Might as well get up.'

She sinched the pajama pants Roy had lent her as tight as she could get them, and they still hung low on her hips. She had opted to just stay in her tank top, soaked as it was, after finding the nightshirt a bit uncomfortable and too warm. Although, by now, the black top had dried completely.

Slowly, Laura made her way out into the hall and down the stairs, being extra careful not to disturb Roy further down the hall. She decided to explore her new surroundings a little bit, subconciously fiddling with the dreamcatcher around her neck as she poked about various rooms. She discovered that the house was quiet large... but, Roy had said he was a Colonel after all... and apparently a well paid one at that.

Laura found a small library/parlor just inside the entrance hall that seemed more for decoration than actual use, but still had a comfortable feel to it. The living room further in was much more casual and obviously more used, while a private study across from it looked virtually untouched... judging from all the dust. There were several closets lining the halls and she found at least two bathrooms downstairs.

Soon, Laura's grumbling stomach lead her to a rather spacious Kitchen towards the back of the large house. She began to dig through different cuboards and cabinets, pulling out items that she assumed would serve to make a decent breakfast. As she set about the stove, Laura found that apparently her hands remembered to do something she didn't... cook.

--

Roy slowly opened his eyes to see sunlight just beginning to filter through his window. He turned to the clock on his bedside table. 7:15 A.M. He continued to stare at it for a few moments, trying to figure out what exactly had woken him up at least three hours before he would ever even consider rolling out of bed on a Saturday. Then, his nose reminded him. He breathed deeply to find the air thick with the aroma of coffee and bacon.

Roy slipped curiously out of bed and into the hallway, slipping a black shirt on and pajama pants over his boxers as he went. He saw the door to the guest bedroom was open and a light was on downstairs. Slipping a hand through his mussed onyx locks, Roy carefully entered the kitchen where light was streaming from under the door.

His eyes fell across the table where two plates were set and pot of coffee was steaming beside two mugs. A plate of toast had also been set out and the distinct popping of bacon grease came from the stove. Laura stood with her back to Roy, manning the frying pan and currently dishing out scrambled eggs onto a platter. He was suprised she still wore her tank top and could see she had retied her dark brown hair into a long braid. Roy waited patiently for Laura to put the empty egg pan down before clearing his throat slightly.

Laura jumped and turned, a spatula in her hand, her blue eyes wide with suprise. She let out a sigh when she saw Roy and offered a small smile.

"Oh... uh... Colonel... I didn't hear you come in," she said a little shakily, putting down the spatula. "Did I wake you?"

"No, you're fine," Roy replied, an easy smirk sliding over his face. "And you can call me Roy, if you like."

This time, Laura's smile was wide and Roy found himself frozen by the beauty of it once more. He didn't know that she had been similarily admiring his smirk a few moments before.

"Uh, well, would you like some coffee, Roy?" she asked, motioning to the table. "The bacon's almost done."

"Oh, thank you, Laura. You didn't have to make breakfast you know," Roy commented as he poured himself a steaming cup of the brown liquid.

"Well, I couldn't sleep," Laura replied in an obviously false tone of amusement. "And I had to find something to do... so I thought I'd just start cooking."

"Where did you learn to cook?" Roy asked, buttering a peice of toast and helping himself to the eggs Laura set on the table. He had meant it as an innocent question... but the look on Laura's face stopped him dead. She looked briefly as if she'd been struck. She spun back to the stove and buissied herself with getting the bacon served up... before answering.

"I don't know," she told him honestly, taking a seat across from him. The look in her blue orbs when she raised her eyes to his was the most helpless and lost look Roy had ever encountered. It shook his very core to see it, though he couldn't figure out why.

"I just, found the things and cooked it. It was as if... as if..." Laura sighed and tried again. "I just _knew _how to do it. I don't remember learning or seeing it done... I just already knew."

Roy nodded, studying his coffee as though it would somehow provide the answers he and this young woman needed. This was the strangest case of amnesia he'd ever heard of. Normally the person would remember something... flashes or faces. Roy'd never felt more lost... he just hoped Hughes had managed to find something.

Roy looked up at the sound of a choked sob to find Laura was holding her head in her hands, obviously fighting the urge to cry. Her shoulders shook so badly Roy was worried she would simply fall apart right in front of him. He reminded himself that no matter how lost this was starting to make him feel, Laura would be feeling the same... only one hundred times worse. Roy wasn't sure what to do, but he had to do something... he couldn't stand to watch this woman breaking down when he didn't know how to help her.

Finally, not knowing the reaction he would recieve, Roy moved beside her... wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Laura froze. Roy was hugging her? But... she was a stranger he hardly knew... who didn't even know herself... and here he was trying to comfort her. But, she found that all of her thoughts melted away into the feel of someone's arms around her, strong and secure. She _knew_ it was a hug... but, it was like experiencing it for the first time. The warmth of Roy's arms, the haven they provided for her, it was all... _new_. It was beautiful. Laura felt so safe... so right in this man's arms. It was the warmest feeling she'd ever experienced... at least, to her current knowledge.

Roy waited for Laura to pull away from him, slap him, call him a weirdo or something... but instead... she burried her face into his shoulder and began crying. Roy let out a sigh he hadn't known he was holding and tightened his hold. Laura's whole body shook with the force of her sobs and she clung helplessly to his shirt, trying to make sense out of nothing. Roy suddenly felt an intense urge to protect this strange woman in his arms. This woman who had appeared without reason or meaning... whose whole existance was draped in mystery.

What was happening? Roy didn't even know her. So... why was it that when her sobs died down and she pulled away... he hadn't wanted to let her go? Roy didn't let any of his thoughts show to Laura though, knowing it would probably just unsettle her... and that was the _last _thing she needed.

"You ok?" he checked gently, earning a slight nod. He brushed a tear from her cheek before clasping Laura's hands.

"Everything will be ok... you'll see," Roy said softly, offering a gentle smile, which he was relieved to see returned.

"I'm not so sure... but thank you, Roy," Laura responded, the lost look lessening, but still present in her blue eyes. They simply looked into eachother's eyes for a moment, blue to black, feeling something neither could explain hidden within the other's depths.

They were both startled by the sound of the phone on the wall ringing. Roy practically jumped over in order to answer it.

"Roy Mustang," he answered in his usual tone.

"Hey Roy!" Hughes piped happily from the other end. "Wow! You actually sound awake! The last time you were up this early on a Saturday was in basic training... and even then we had to dump a bucket of freezing water on you! Remember that..."

"_HUGHES_," Roy half-growled, trying to bring his friend back from memory lane. Laura watched curiously from the table.

"Oh, sorry... anyway, I got some news on your 'mystery maiden'," Hughes started... his voice going from teasing to buisness in two seconds flat. "Though you're not gonna like it, Roy."

"Tell me," Roy said calmly, aware of Laura's eyes burning into his back.

"Well, turns out, we have no idea who she is. I've done several searches in all files from kidnapping to flat out missing person ads... nothing. Not even any promising similarities."

"Hmmm." Roy sighed and looked back at Laura. "Could you give me a minute, please?"

"Oh, sure," Laura said. She sounded dissapointed, but got up from the table and went out of the room anyway.

"Try all the reports from surrounding cities... I don't care how far they are," Roy said so seriously, Hughes was suprised.

"Roy, I can't go on just a phys-"

"Laura," Roy cut in. "Her first name's Laura... she can't remember a last name but that should help somewhat..."

"Oh, ok then. I'll see what I can find. It may take two to three more days or so..."

"Keep me informed."

"Sure Roy. Take care," Hughes sighed, and hung up. Soon, he picked up the phone and dialed another number.

Roy hung up and sighed as well.

'Damn, that didn't get us anywhere,' he thought dissapointedly. He turned to the door as Laura peeked in.

"Who was that?" she asked, hope lacing her voice.

"That was Hughes, the friend I called to see if we could find out who you are..." Roy answered slowly.

"And?" Laura prompted.

"He's checking all missing person reports and the like. Unfortunately, he said there are too many reports to sift through... it's going to take a few more days."

"Oh." Roy winced at the obvious dissapointment in Laura's voice as her eyes fell.

"Don't worry, Laura, we'll figure this out," Roy reassured her with more confidence than he felt. She nodded, about as convinced as he was.

"Well," Roy started lightly, trying to find a way to take her mind off of it. "What do you say we go out and get you some clothes today! If your going to be staying here a little bit longer, you're going to need more than oversized shirts and pants."

"Oh, I don't mean to inconvenien..." Laura started.

"Not at all," Roy cut in. "Besides... you keep cooking like this and I'll be hard pressed to let you go."

"Thank you," Laura said, blushing slightly. Roy found she looked cute that way, but pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind quickly.

"We can leave whenever you want... all the good shops are open today and we should be able to beat any rushes," he told her, heading towards the stairs.

"All right... May I take a shower?"

"Of course," Roy smirked slightly. "It's the second door on your left at the top of the stairs."

"Thank you," Laura responded, hurrying past him to the bathroom.

"And Laura," he got her to turn back to him. "For the next few days you're a guest here, you don't have to ask."

Laura nodded shyly and ducked into the bathrrom. Roy went to his own room and found a change of clothes before deciding to clean up a little in the kitchen. He was actually kind of impressed. Laura did a pretty good job of cleaning up as she went, there was hardly anything for him to do.

Laura stopped dead when she entered the bathroom, catching a glimps of a young woman in the mirror. It took her a moment to realize it had to be her. She just stood and stared at the unfamiliar face gazing back. Laura shuddered and forced herself into the shower. Why did she feel like she was looking at a stranger? She forced her mind away from those thoughts, as it only served in giving her a migrain.

'Knock, knock!'

Roy looked up at the door, and then gazed at the clock. It was only ten to nine... who would be stopping by that early for him? Roy opened the door and smirked inwardly. He should've known.

"Good morning, sir," Lt. Riza Hawkeye saluted him. Roy cocked an eyebrow at his blonde liuetenant. She was carrying a paper-wrapped package in her arms and was dressed pretty formal. Even though she wasn't in uniform, her black slacks, boots, and a maroon shirt still gave off an air of buisness.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Hawkeye?" Roy asked casually. Riza gave a small smile.

"Hughes called me, sir," she said simply. Roy smirked. Figures... Hughes was never great at keeping secrets. "Also when he told me you'd actually woken up before noon on a Saturday... I wanted to see it myself, sir."

Roy had to chuckle at that. Leave it to Riza to use every opportunity to point out his lazy nature. Roy was shaken from his musings as Riza pushed the package she'd been carrying into his arms. Roy froze for a second, dreading that it was more paperwork. Riza almost laughed, but kept her face stern.

"I don't know if she's my size, sir, but at least these are made for a woman," she explained, giving Roy's outfit a pointed look over. She smirked inwardly as she heard what he thought had been a silent sigh of relief. He was just so easy.

"Thanks, Hawkeye," Roy responded, peeking at the clothes. "And you can drop the sir when we're not on duty."

"Of course, sir."

Roy laughed.

'She never changes,' he sighed mentally. Riza watched Roy's expressions carefully as he looked at the clothes in his arms. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, about what she couldn't even imagine.

"May I ask what her name is, sir?" Riza watched as suddenly, something flashed through Roy's onyx depths. Though, it was gone as quickly as it had come... Riza had deffinately seen something.

"Laura," Roy answered calmly. "Her name's Laura."

"You're going to take her shopping today, right, sir?" Riza asked. Roy shrugged, finding Riza's slightly eratic conversation unusual for the blonde. He wasn't the least bit suprised that Riza already knew what he'd planned today. She was sharp in every sense of the word.

"Yeah. We leave whenever she's ready... why?" he answered, giving Riza a sideways glance.

"If it'd be alright with you, sir, I'd like to occumpany you both."

Roy stared at his liuetenant for a long moment... caught off gaurd by the request. He blinked a few times while looking into her mahongohnny eyes.

"Umm, can I ask why, Lt?" he asked a little blankly.

"Well sir, clothes shopping for a young woman is generally more enjoyable when she has another woman to talk with," Riza explained for him. "And no offense, but I believe I would be a better authority on women's clothing."

Roy blinked a few more times, suprised that those thoughts hadn't even occured to him. Laura would probably enjoy Riza's company... and Riza, while a little quiet at work, had a way with making people feel comfortable and relaxed. Roy smiled.

"Thank you, Hawkeye, you're more than welcome to come with us," he smiled.

"Roy? Is someone here?" Laura's voice sounded from behind the Colonel. He moved aside so that she could see the blonde standing on the doorstep.

"Laura, good timing," Roy said smiling. "I'd like you meet a coworker of mine. This is..."

"First Liuetenant Riza Hawkeye, it's a pleasure," Riza finished for the Colonel, extending her hand to Laura. Laura smiled slightly and took the offered hand.

"I'm Laura, nice to meet you," she responded, bright blue eyes locking with mahogahnny for a split second. Riza made a point of looking over Laura's attire. She had a simple black tank top on, and a pair of baggy sweats clung loosely about her waist. Like the pajama pants, Laura had them sinched up as tight as she could get them... and they were still hanging a little low. Her odd outfit was finished off with a worn pair of black shoes.

"Well, Laura... first things first, we've got to get you into some _women's _clothing," Riza started, taking Laura by the arm and extracting the package from Roy.

"B-but, I don't have any..." Laura stumbled, just as suprised as Roy at Riza's behavior. Roy had never seen Riza in her casual attitude... he hadn't thought she even _had _one.

"Oh don't worry, I brought over a few of my own clothes... they may not fit perfectly but at least they'll fit better than these sweats," Riza answered, pulling Laura up the stairs and to the guest bedroom. A few moments later and Riza returned with Laura in towe.

She had picked a midnight blue shirt with long sleeves which Laura had pushed up to her elbows, her silver dreamcatcher sticking out as it hung delicately around her neck. She had her hands tucked shyly into the pockets of black slacks which, in turn, were tucked neatly into the top of a pair of black boots. Roy blinked a few times... the clothes fit perfectly on her, complimenting her physical build, but also empphasizing some of her curves attesting to her femininity.

Riza walked over and nudged Roy in the ribs and it was only then that he realized he'd been staring. He shook his head slightly and smiled to Laura.

"Ready?" Riza asked the slightly blushing girl.

Laura took a shuddering breath and offered a small smile. She seemed nervous, but still held herself confidently.

"Sure. Let's go!" she said happily. Riza smiled and pulled her out the door, Roy following just behind. He watched smiling as Riza hooked arms with Laura and the two began talking. Laura seemed a bit off kilter at first, but Riza soon had her chatting away and the two were laughing and talking like old friends. Roy hung back slightly, answering when talked to but otherwise staying quiet.

'Who would've thought Riza could be so... _girly,' _Roy thought, smirking slightly as Riza giggled in a very 'non-hawkeye' manner. He never thought she'd loosen up... but apparently she was just very good at knowing when to be all buisness and when it was better to just relax. He would have to thank her later... Laura looked so relaxed.

He found himself fixated with her while they walked. Watching her eyes light up at all the things they passed, hearing her laugh, watching her talk with Riza... he couldn't take his eyes off her.

Laura was well aware of the fact that the Colonel was keeping a close eye on her. She felt his gaze constantly on her face and she could see him watching her from the corner of her eye. The thing she found strange was, she really didn't mind. She didn't draw attention to the fact she knew he was watching her but instead let herself get swept away by the bussle of the city.

It was still fairly early and not many people were around... but Laura was in awe just by the size of the city. She found herself wide-eyed on more than one occasion, marveling at all the things she knew... but couldn't remember seeing. It was like seeing everything for the first time, even smells and sounds were new sensations... and it was dazzling.

"So, what do you think of Central so far?" Riza asked the gaping girl next to her. Laura smiled at the blonde and laughed slightly.

"It's pretty big... so far I like it," she answered. Riza nodded.

"Oh! Here Laura! Let's go in here first!" Riza pushed the girl into a shop on the right, Roy rushing in after them. It was a simple shop that didn't look like much but it had everything from formal dresses to pajamas.

"Ok, first of all," Riza started, pulling Laura to a rack of simple shirts. "Colors. What ones should we look for?"

"How do you mean?" Laura asked in turn. Roy and Riza stopped and looked over at her in shock.

"Well, what are some of your favorite colors?" Roy tried. Laura gave him a blank look before her brow furrowed. Roy saw that same look anytime anyone asked her a question it seemed.

"Ummm, I'm not sure," Laura answered, smiling sheepishly when Roy and Riza just stared at her.

"Uh, ok," Riza started again. Sifting through the rack, she picked out two shirts... one a deep maroon color like her own shirt, the other a bright shade of rosey-pink. "Which of these do you like?"

Laura looked at the pink one and cringed before pointing to the maroon one. Riza seemed to giggle slightly, Laura hadn't seemed like a 'rosey' girl. Riza repeated this several times, always with two shades of the same color, keeping a mental log of Laura's reactions.

She seemed to enjoy dark or cool colors like deep blues, greens, and reds. Yellows and pinks were a deffinate 'no' considering the way Laura recoiled from them with a look of utter disgust. White wasn't objected to but it didn't seem to be a favorite. Black won in the battle of nuetrals, gray in a close second... and only a few shades of brown were tolerated. The only really bright colors to make the cut were a sky-blue, and a bright red. Purple wasn't a favorite either, but it was tolerated.

"Ok, now that we have a color scheme going, let's get some things for you to try on," Riza started. "Let's see you're about my size, so... mhmm..."

She continued muttering her was through several racks and Laura's arms continued to get more and more filled. Finally, Riza sent a rather baffled looking Laura into the dressing rooms. Roy stood calmly next to her.

"Hughes was right sir," she started suddenly. Roy looked over at her, confusion clear in his onyx eyes.

"Right about what?" he asked, cocking a dark eyebrow. 'Man she switches into soldier mode awfully quick.'

"This girl, even though you've only just met, has certainly had an impact on you sir," she answer quietly. Roy blinked at her for about the hundreth time today. She never ceased to suprise him.

"How's that?" he asked calmly. He wouldn't deny it, something had deffinately caught his interest in this girl. Riza looked over at him, a hint of amusement in her eyes but none on her face.

"With a pretty young woman like her, sir, normally you would've made some kind of move by now," she answered. Riza was suprised to see Roy's face darken slightly. He turned his gaze towards the dressing room.

"She's been through something horrible, Hawkeye... she didn't even remember her favorite color when we asked, something truelly traumatic must've happened to her. The last thing she needs right now is me 'making a move'," he answered sternly, no humor anywhere in his words. Riza studied the man who had been her superior for many years, seeing a slightly new side to the man she thought she had pegged. It wasn't that she'd never seen him this serious... she knew that he was a very smart man underneath the lazyness and sarcasm. It was just that she'd never seen him this serious towards a woman.

"Understood, sir," Riza answered him. In the dressing room, Laura listened to the quiet conversation between the coworkers. She frowned, biting her lower lip in frustration as she tried once more to remember something. Like she had been dreading, her head began to hurt, only this time it was slightly more intense and she forced herself to focus on the outfits.

Laura modeled several outfits for the two officers before about four were picked and paid for. Riza ushered Roy out the door to wait outside while they purchased a couple sets of underthings for Laura as well. By the time they finished in the shop, they decided that lunch was in order and began walking towards a cafe Riza recommended.

No matter how hard she tried, Laura found she couldn't keep her mind from drifting back to what Roy had said.

'Something really traumatic must've happened to her...'

What _had _happened to her? Laura politely excused herself to the bathroom and just stood looking at herself in the mirror. That same stranger stared back at her from this morning. Laura tried to think. What had happened? Her head errupted with the pain, but this time she had been prepared for it. She braced herself on the sink and forced herself to focus. It was almost like that pain was meant as a barrier for her... but it was one she was determined to get through. She focused through the haze and tried to call on her memories.

Suddenly, she saw a brief flash of a huge, dark gate, millions of black hands, a bright light and then the pain became too much. She screamed as her head felt like it was being torn apart from the inside and she felt her body slide bonelessly to the floor. Laura tried to hold on, but her body couldn't take the pain and her mind gave out. Just before she faced complete darkness, she heard a call, two voices this time... screaming for her.

'_LAURA!_'

---

"LAURA!" Roy pounded on the door know, not caring about the strange looks people were giving him. He and Hawkeye had just been sitting at the table when a scream had ripped through the air... coming from the women's restroom. "LAURA!"

Finally, Roy pulled out one of his ignition gloves and put it on. He was poised to snap when Riza grabbed his hand.

"Sir?" She had a nervous look on her face.

"Keep everyone back, Lieutenant," Roy said sternly, gently shaking off her hand. Riza looked unsure but she backed off anyway, telling everyone else who had gathered to do the same. An order was an order... even if they weren't technically one duty. Roy took aim at the lock, and snapped. It sounded like a gunshot and a couple people screamed, but it had the desired effect. The lock had blown out and Roy quickly opened the door. He found Laura passed out in the middle of the floor and went to her side. He did a once over to make sure she wasn't hurt and then picked her up.

Roy started to head out of the restaraunt, Hawkeye taking care of a rather ruffled cafe owner who was screeching about the damage on the door. Riza called headquaters and requested a car and then joined Roy out front. He was kneeling and checking Laura over for any injuries or anything, but just like the night before, she just seemed to be unconcious.

"Sir, we need to take her to the hospital wing," Riza said calmly.

"I'm aware of that Lt. thank you," Roy said sternly. Riza nodded and stood behind Roy, neither one speaking again. The car arrived quickly and Riza instructed the driver to take them to headquaters. Roy rushed Laura to the hospital wing, only to be shooed away by a herd of nurses once the doctors had her.

Hawkeye stayed with him for about an hour before leaving to go home and take Hayate for a walk. Roy just sat in the hospital wing, forcing himself not to think, flipping aimlessly through magazines and tapping his fingers on the chair. It took nearly another hour before a doctor finally came looking for him. Roy stood and immediately went to him. He was an older doctor named Johnathan Grimmel, a man Roy had come to trust for he was one of the best physicians in Central.

"Well, Colonel," John started, sighing, "She's fine. It seems like she just fainted and we expect her to be waking up within the hour," he explained, soothing part of Roy's nerves, but raising his hackles in a different way. John had said that slowly and as if he were holding something back.

"What's wrong Dr. Grimmel, you sound a little edgy..." Roy said. It was more of a command than a question. John sighed and pulled Roy to a discreet corner of the waiting room. Dropping his voice so that only he and Roy could hear, he went on.

"It's the strangest thing I've ever encountered. When you told us of her amnesia we did a couple tests and ran some scans (they probably don't actually do that but go with me) so that we could possibly pinpoint the problem..." he began shakily.

'This must be bad...' Roy began to worry even more.

"And?" he prodded sternly.

"She's in perfect health. There was no trauma in even the smallest quantities anywhere in her brain. Even her brain wave patterns don't hint at trauma. Normally if a person looses memory due to shock and they're really just blocking bad memories, it makes a distinct pattern in their brain waves... yet hers don't show that kind of pattern..."

"That is strange..." Roy started. There was more to this than he thought. "Wait... you didn't say ther her waves were normal though. Is there something else?"

"Yes," John started to fidget slightly, "And this is the strangest thing of all. While her brain is functioning completely normal, we decided to compare the patterns of waves in the memory oriented part of her brain with other scans we've taken. Now, she still has all of her long term and short term memory capabilities... nothing's weird there... but when looking at other scans, we were able to determine that there simply aren't any memories stored there... at least not as much as a normal adult about her age is supposed to have."

Roy cocked an eyebrow at John, a clear sign of his confusion. John sighed and ran a hand through his short brown hair.

"It's hard to explain..." he started again, struggling to put it into words. "But the patterns give off the amount of activity in that area and her memory activity is much lower than a normal human. The waves show that she's retaining only enough memories as of now to add up to the past 24 hours. It's far less than anything we've ever seen. It looks like her slate got completely wiped clean prior to Friday somewhere around noon. I don't understand it at all. Her levels in the other parts of the brain are completely normal so her knowledge is actually pretty extensive... but even if we asked her something, she wouldn't know _how _she knew that answer or where she learned it, simply that it was right."

(did that make sense? Oh well, go with me if it didn't. )

Roy stared at the floor, trying to grasp what he was being told. Dr. Grimmel was the best at what he did, and for him to be so shaken by this situation... it was deeply unsettling to Roy. Suddenly, a nurse came bursting through the doors.

"Doctor, the patient is in hysterics! She's sleeping but she's moving around too much for us to contain her," the nurse said frantically. John immediately started towards her.

"Colonel, you'd better come too," the nurse said to Roy. John looked at her in confusion.

"Whatever for?" he asked sternly.

"Because, Dr. Grimmel, she's calling for him."

---

Laura stood in an empty plain of white, white, and more white. There was nothing around her... no matter where she looked. Suddenly, she heard whispers and a loud creak come from somewhere and she turned to see a gate that hadn't been there before. Laura took a step back as the creaking grew louder. The huge doors began to swing outward on hidden hinges that, nonetheless, sounded like a train screeching to a stop. She covered her ears to protect them from the noise.

At last, the doors ground to a halt and Laura fell back with a shriek at what was before her. A wall of darkness filled the gate, millions of hungry, insane eyes looking back at her from within the void. Laura stared, shaking, her eyes wide in terror as the whispering from the darkness grew louder. It continued to grow into mindless babbling, and then into full out shrieks. Thousands of black arms snaked out from the void, grabbing for the terrified girl before them. Laura snapped out of her terror and into a state of pure panic as claw-like hands gripped her so hard they cut the skin. She screamed.

She fought the arms and tried to stand, but the more she fought, the more tangled she became, and the closer the things dragged her to the darkness. Laura fought desperately, looking for anyone to help her, but seeing only the white nothingness. She screamed again, clawing frantically at the ground. The hands just gripped harder, binding her arms to her sides.

"NO! DON'T TAKE ME!" she screamed, terrified. Laura didn't want to go into that darkness. She knew that if she did, she'd never come out again.

Finally, in a last desperate attempt to escape, she called for the only person she knew could save her.

"ROOYYY!"

Roy heard the scream all the way down the hall and ran the last few feet to the door. He and John burst into the room to find nurses frantically trying to restrain a flailing Laura on the bed. She was fighting them all off, kicking those she could when her arms were restrained and screaming for them to stop, all the while calling for Roy. Roy ran over and pushed some of the nurses out of the way.

He seized Laura's shoulders and pulled her too him, earning a few punches to his chest, but he managed to pin her against him. She started to bite at his neck, which was saved from permanent marks by his shirt.

"Laura!" he tried, but she continued to struggle. He shook her slightly.

"LAURA!" He called more forcefully, desperate to wake her.

Laura's eyes snapped open as she finally heard his voice and she froze, her eyes wide with terror. She was shaking violently and she didn't seem to recognize the black haired man before her. Finally, her blue eyes shone with recognition.

"R-Roy?" she whimpered. Roy almost cried with relief that she was back.

"Yeah, sweety, it's me," Roy felt a little weird using the endearment... but Laura needed comforting and soothing. Laura took a shuddering breath and burst out into fresh sobs, clinging to Roy like a life-line. She was still shaking like a leaf in a hurricane and Roy wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"I... I was so scared... so scared," Laura whimpered between sobs. "They tried to... to take me to the darkness... don't let them take me... please, Roy... don't let them..."

"Shhh," Roy rocked her slightly, stroking her hair while his head rested on top of hers. "It's ok, hush now... you're safe... noone's going to take you, sweety... hush..."

John had ushered all the nurses from the room. He carefully laid a hand on Roy's shoulder, whose arms reflexively tightened around the woman in his arms. John smiled gently and mouthed 'you can take her home'. Roy returned the smile and nodded. Then, John left the two in silence.

Roy continued to rock Laura gently and stroke soothing circles on her back. At long last, her sobs died down and her breathing became steady. Roy looked down and smiled when he saw that Laura had fallen asleep against him.

He managed to pick her up without waking her, keeping her head tucked under his chin, her hands fisted tightly in his shirt. Out in the hall, Hawkeye had returned and looked up in concern when Roy carried Laura out.

"It's fine, Lieutenant, she's sleeping," he assured the blonde, who let out an internal sigh.

"There's a car waiting out front sir... I took the clothes to your house... they should be out front when you arrive," Hawkeye told him. Roy's smile was genuine.

"Thank you, Hawkeye," he said, turning to leave.

"Oh and sir," Riza called after him. "I'm still expecting that paperwork to be done on Monday."

She grinned at the visible flinch before Roy continued out of the hospital wing.

She loved doing that... even though she'd probably just let him off with a warning if it wasn't all done on Monday, she enjoyed keeping him on his toes.

Tsume-n-carnet: Ok, I think that's long enough for now... well over 6,000 words... I think we're good for now. Anyway, I am getting after Eternalruler... she's just not listening real well yet. ;) thanks to all of you who read this... please review, but I request no flames as we will probably just ignore them anyway! Later, y'all!


	6. Chapter 6

Tsume-n-carnet: ok, so Eternalruler has officially dropped out on us. It's just she's got a lot on her plate and we all decided it would just be easily for us to continue her story for her. So there won't be any chapters from Eternalruler but Ericka is still in this story... you'll see how we bring her in later on. and no I won't tell you how, it's a surprise! lol, anyway, here's Dragonelf's chapter and mine is in the works. HERE YOU GO! oh, and lots of chocolate, love, and hugs to our reviewers! thanks for hanging in there guys!

Dragonelf 8: Okay so I made this one extra long to make up for lost time. Anyway you find out Damon's Alchemic ability is. I honest thought that it was cool but that's just me.

Training. A killer's prey

Damon practice with a series of flips and kicks twisting her body this way and that. Stretching each and every one of her muscles as she jumped around in circles; thinking of random attack and defense patterns a person might use, and then countering it. Damon had to admit it but it felt silly at first and her movements were sloppy, and stiff at first. Eventually she gotten used to it and it later it appeared to bystanders like she was moving like water or dancing on air. She always trained in her old clothes not wanting her new ones to get torn. She had set aside a special pair of clothes for when she was leaving, but in the mean time most wore a green sleeveless shirt and jeans with tennis shoes. This was all fine and dandy, but with the near exhausted body and the growing dark circles under her eyes.

"Damon your going to wear yourself through," complained Winry as she watched Damon.

Damon stopped in mid back flip and was holding herself up by her auto mail arm as she looked like she was doing a one armed hand stand. She looked up at Winry with exhausted eyes.

"Winry, how am I going to get stronger if I don't train," stated Damon.

"It's not going to get you anywhere if you drive yourself into the ground. The body and mind need rest," answered Winry, " What are you training for anyway?"

"I'm going to become a state alchemist, and I gotta get ready for anything to help me get in."

"Your going to take state alchemist exam?" asked Winry in mild surprise.

"That's right," said Damon then added in a surprised tone falling to the ground. "What a minuet it's an exam!?"

"Yeah. Ed and Al told me about it. There's a huge test at the beginning, then a interview, sometimes and physical, then there the practical which you show you basic skills with alchemy and raw materials they give you, or so Ed said," explained Winry then add. "Why do you want to join though?"

Damon sat down and thought this over in her head thinking of all the things she learned in the gate. 'I wonder if that's enough? Probably not,' thought Damon. She then looked up at Winry.

"You know I'm looking for some friends of mine. The state alchemist seem the best way to look for them, and I could pay you off for the auto mail surgery you did for me."

"But we told you it was free of char-," began Winry but was cut off by Damon whom spoke loudly and clearly.

"And not just the surgery, but the clothes and the alchemy book. I have to pay you back somehow. The state alchemist test seemed the best so I'm going for it, killing two birds with one stone as some say," replied Damon sitting down next to Winry.

The two girls looked at each other. The frown on Winry's face clearly said that she did not approve at all with Damon. Damon just kept a stern straight face. With a sigh Winry finally turned away.

"Your just like Ed. Your so stubborn," scoffed Winry pouting a little.

"That stubbornness is going to get me along way," sneered Damon smirking slightly.

"When do you plan to be leaving for Central for the exam?" asked Winry curiously.

"As soon as the next exam comes up," replied Damon grinning.

"Well then I suggest you hurry," smirked Winry.

"Huh?"

"The next state alchemist exams will be coming in two weeks and I know it at least takes three days to get form Resembol to Central on train. Not to mention you need to warn the military that your taking the exam, two days before the exam so that you get time to study for the exam," answered Winry.

" That soon!?… Every well I'll leave tomorrow," replied Damon sternly.

Winry sighed inwardly she had a feeling Damon would say that. Quietly she got up and went into the house Granny was standing in the doorway, her face was straight. It was clear that she had heard the inter conversation.

"You're not going to stop her," asked Pinako as Winry passed.

"If I did say something like I did with Ed, she'd leave anyway. Just like them," replied Winry a tear falling down her face.

"We can't really do anything about the choices they make, we might miss them and say no but we can't change their choices and we might cry about it. But we must respect there wishes and move on our own path," said Pinako watching Damon continue her flips.

"It just that she's going down the same path as Ed. You know that he get in a lot of trouble ever since he joined the state Alchemist. I just don't what her to go through the same thing."

"Well that's not really our choice now is it?"

"No…"

"Damon has something she wants. She wants it so much that she's willing to give her life for it; this is the path's she's chosen. All we can do is watch and her if she needs it help we help her. Just like Ed," replied Granny she then turned around and walked back inside.

Winry turned back to Damon wiping the single tear that fell down her face. She didn't want Damon to fall down that same road. Winry's face light up as an idea suddenly hit her. Damon was going to take the Alchemy exam that much was clear, and Winry couldn't stop her either, so if she couldn't stop her might as well help her. ' Yeah I'll help Damon perform an alchemy so powerful that even the King would be impressed,' thought Winry with a smile as she went back to Damon.

"Hey Damon," called Winry as Damon finished a kick.

Damon looked up again to see Winry watching her with a smile on her face.

"What is it," asked Damon curiously.

"Well I was wondering if you could show me your alchemy," asked Winry as she walked up to Damon.

"HUH!? What brought that on, one second you were opposing me to become a state alchemist now you want to see my alchemy?"

"Come on Damon I want to see," pleaded Winry.

"Of what?" asked Damon.

"That's you to decide, it's going to be like this at basic skills part of the exam. You have to show them your best," explained Winry.

"My best," muttered Damon as she thought for a moment.

It was hard to think of something impressive out of the blue like that. Sweat began to bead Damon forehead as she thought. What was elegantly beautiful yet could be of use to the military? Course you could always make it ugly, but that wasn't Damon's style, and something beautiful could be used as traps if necessary… Was that even allowed in war?

Damon looked at all of the raw materials around there had to be something she could make. Suddenly and idea popped into her head.

"Winry can you go to my room and get me my bag," asked Damon.

"Sure," said Winry as she rushed off.

Damon waited outside as she watched Winry head back inside. Within a few minuets she returned holding the bag in her arms.

"So why'd you want this?" asked Winry.

"I need an idea," answered Damon as she looked in her bag and then pulled out a book.

"What's that?" asked Winry looking over Damon's shoulder.

"It's my sketchbook. I like art a lot so I draw," answered Damon as she showed Winry one of her pictures.

"Wow that looks beautiful," answered Winry in awe, "but how's that going to help you with alchemy?"

"You'll see," said Damon as she began to flip through some pages, finally she found one to her pleasing and examined it careful.

Closing the book she handed it to Winry to hold. She stepped back a few steps away from Winry. Winry watched her curiously.

"You better stand back Winry," warned Damon.

"Right!" replied Winry as she backed up.

Damon took in a deep steady breath. Organizing her thoughts as she examined the minerals around and began to pull at them as she brought up her arms.

'CLAP!'

Damon slammed her hands down onto the ground, electricity encircling her and the ground. The space around her seemed to darken as she pulled at the minerals in the dirt pulling it up and molding it to her liking. It felt like she was in pottery class again the image clear in her mind as she molded it, but her hands weren't doing the work. Finally the lights faded and exhaustion over took Damon. Finally she looked up to admire her handy work. It looked just like the picture she drew only three-dimensional. Winry awed and looked in between the statue and the picture comparing the two. The statue itself looked human but with slight differences, it looked like a man of 20, with long black hair and bright yellow eyes, it wore a simple pair of pants and T-shirt both green, and it's skin looked so human that it was hard to believe that it was actually stone. The differences were that the statue had pointed ears peeking out of his hair, fangs barely visible on the lips, black claws were on each finger, and a stubby horn was placed on top of his head.

"Wow! Damon that's incredible," cried Winry as she turned to Damon whom was wiping sweat off her cheek.

"That's the best I can do," panted Damon.

"What is it though? It looks human, but it can't be," asked Winry.

"It's a demon," answered Damon, "They're my specialty, or at least all the human looking ones, I'm good at drawing anything that looks human. Weapons, and scenery I need work on."

"Cool," muttered Winry as she looked back at Damon, she then frowned in worry, "Hey you okay?"

Winry instantly went over to Damon helping support the girl up. Damon leaned on Winry gratefully.

"Just a little tried," muttered Damon to Winry.

"Come on, let's get inside. You need rest," ordered Winry as she led Damon into the house, " I told you not to wear yourself out!"

The statue outside stood silently still then it snapped its eyes to the house following with its eyes to were its creator went. With ease it turned around to the house looked at the window that lead to Damon's room, then slowly lowered itself to a bow, then slowly crumbled away to small stones.

Next Day

"You be careful on your journey, there are a lot of dangerous things out there," advised Pinako.

The three of them were standing just outside the train. Damon was ready to board and take off for central, and Winry and Pinako were saying their goodbyes to the girl that lived with them and had gotten to know.

"Thank you, Pinako," thanked Damon.

"You look good Damon, you'll defiantly fit in at Central," committed Winry.

"Really?" said Damon as she looked down at herself.

Damon no longer wore the rags she had before. She had forest green jacket that was like that of Cloud's form final fantasy's 'Advent Children' except it didn't have the shoulder pad, though it still had the long sleeve and the long billowy cloak at the bottom, the long sleeve covered her left auto-mail arm, she had black gloves that went to the middle of her fore arm on both her arms, a belt was held on top of her jacket at her hip, the pants she wore were black and baggy, her shoes were black as well, and her charms hung form her belt.

"Yeah you'll defiantly fit in," repeated Winry smiling at Damon.

"Thank you for everything," smiled Damon.

"Well we were happy to have you, it gets lonely just the two of us," said Pinako as she walked up to Damon and put something in her hand, "here take this, you'll need it to help get you a nice apartment while your up at Central, and some food."

"Money?!" cried Damon in surprise, "Mrs. Rockbell I can't take this!"

"And where do you purpose to stay while in Central? The Military won't take you in until you get certified as a state alchemist," persuaded Pinako.

"She's right, besides it will be okay," said Winry.

Damon frowned in displeasure at this. She knew that they were right, but still… The whistle blew for the last few passengers that were lingering on the platform. Damon reluctantly nodded and boarded the train. Her head peek out he window as she waved goodbye to the Rockbell's.

"Thanks again," Damon yelled.

"You be careful Damon, especially in the next town I hear that there's a problem there," advised Winry as she waved goodbye to the train as it started on it's way.

"Bye!" waved Damon out the window.

She looked at the near empty trolley car and sat down in the seat closest to the exit. Damon slipped on her headphones and began to listen to an assortment of music she had collected by raiding her friend's music files. The fields slurred in the window next to her and Damon soon found herself lost in the passing fields, sleep nagging at her senses, the one she had purposely been ignoring. Before long Damon fell asleep.

"Miss?"

Damon could fell someone shake her awake as her eyes slowly fluttered open. The sky outside the window was still blue but it was clearly passed 5 o' clock. Damon looked to see who had awakened her, her headphone sliding off her head. It was one train's crewmen.

"Miss, this is the last stop. The next train to Central won't be here till tomorrow morning," informed the crewmen.

"We're here already?" yawned Damon as she stretched out, "When does the train to Central leave?"

"10:15," answered the crewmen.

"Really thanks," replied Damon as she grabbed her bags.

"Be careful miss," called the crewmen as he sent her off the train.

"Thanks," answered Damon as she left the station.

Wood buildings and shops lined the road to the station people were scurrying over to markets though there were not many people. Damon looked at a sign that had big letters written faded gold paint with he words inn/ tavern on it. 'And it's close to the station too,' thought Damon as she smiled. Damon instantly headed for the direction of the inn hoping they still had a room left.

"Welcome," called a woman holding up a tray to Damon whom had entered the inn.

The woman had a very pretty face her hair a long lush red that was complimented by brown eyes. She wore a long auburn dress with an apron on top of it.

"Hi," said Damon nervously, she really wasn't used to this sort of stuff, " I'd like to get a room if you still have one."

"We've got plenty," smiled the woman as she set the tray down and went to help Damon, "first you've rented a room?"

"Yeah," answered Damon sheepishly.

"Well then I'll go easy on you," smiled the woman gently to Damon, "How long will you be staying?"

"A night I need to get on the train for Central tomorrow," answered Damon.

"Okay, that will be--!?" began the woman but she was cut off by this monstrously loud voice in the room.

"This artistic ability has been passed down form the Armstrong family for generations," boomed the voice.

Damon's head turned to see a gigantic man sitting at a table, he wore a blue uniform, with a single blonde curl of hair popping out his bald head matching his handle bar mustache, he was very thick with muscles rippling under his uniform so much so that it merely frighten Damon. Pink sparkles fluttered around his head and he carried an air around him saying that 'If- I- were- a- dog- I'd- be- a- pure- breed.' He was talking to another man this man had hair, it was cropped short and was messy a dirt blonde color unlike his friend witch was platinum blonde despite is lack in content. Luckily this guy was not so hard to look at and feel so inferior, aka he looked more human than Mr. Steroids. He was very tall around "6'2", not as tall as his friend, but still tall, blue eye laughed back at his friend, and a cigarette hung form his lop sided grin. He wore the same blue uniform as the big man. Now that Damon actually looked at it almost all the men in this tavern wore the exact same uniform, but with small differences in each one.

"Oh don't mind them honey, they're form the military," said the woman.

"The military? Why are they down here?" asked Damon.

"They've come to investigate the murders that have been happening around town," answered the woman then changing the subject, " Now with the room and the dinner and breakfast, plus the discount I'm giving you for our first timer, that will this much."

"Thank you," smiled Damon as she paid.

"Havoc, you must be a true gentlemen," shouted the man at the top of his lungs.

Damon grabbed her luggage hoping to leave the loud voice soon.

"For instants take that young lady there!"

Damon looked to see the huge one walk up to her the one called Havoc following. She instantly froze like an animal caught in the headlights.

"Please miss allow to carry your luggage," said the huge one sweetly.

"Sure," squeak Damon, though he was so big she wondered if he actually heard her.

Obviously he did as he instantly picked up the luggage and led the way to her room.

"Don't mind him."

Damon looked up at the one standing next to her, it was the big guy's comrade.

"He just gets this way," said the man in a lop sided grin.

"Oh, I see," muttered Damon.

"I'm first Lt. Jean Havoc, and he's Major Alex Louis Armstrong."

"Armstrong? I can see that."

"No that's his name," said Havoc passing a side ways glance at Damon.

"Oh!" groaned Damon.

"You know a name would be nice."

"I'm Damon. Damon Keo," replied Damon.

"Damon doesn't that mean," started Armstrong, but Damon cut him off.

"I know what it means," hissed Damon, "Don't blame me for my parents calling me a demon."

Havoc laughed heartily by her side finding it apparently funny.

"I guess, but weren't we all. I honestly don't see why one would want kids," smiled Havoc.

"Spoken like a true bachelor," sighed Damon sarcastically though he didn't seem to catch it.

Finally they reached Damon's room and Armstrong gently put Damon's luggage on the bed.

"Thanks a lot for the help," smiled Damon.

"Not at all Ms. Keo, after all it is in the Armstrong family to be a gentleman to a lady such as yourself," sparkled Armstrong.

"Yeah well thanks anyway," replied Damon.

"Yeah well you be careful," said Havoc getting a questioning look form Damon, "I'm sure you've heard. We've have a killer on the loose."

"Oh that?" recognized Damon, " Well don't worry I'll be careful."

Damon watched as the two soldiers left the room locking the door behind them to assure them that she was taking them very seriously. Then she scanned her room there was a bed, a bathroom, some lamps not bad for such a small hotel. The only down side was that the bed was close to the window which meant it would get really cold at night. Ignoring this Damon went to the bed and flopped right down on it and fell instantly asleep, not knowing the soldiers that helped her still stood outside her door.

"What do you think?" asked Armstrong turning to Havoc.

"Well she matches the description," said Havoc taking a drag form his cigarette.

"You think he'll be after her?" asked Armstrong,

"Most likely. All of the victims were all woman with long brown hair, and every last one of them were all out of Towner's like Ms. Keo here."

"Then we should set up a guard to watch her."

"Sounds like a plan," smiled Havoc as he was about to leave, "I'll get the other soldiers to guard any other women that came to this town as possible victims and this one. You and I will look for the killers whereabouts tonight."

Later

Damon slept on peacefully unaware of the soldiers that stood watch in front of her room, or of the shadow that lurked in her window. The shadow slowly slipped a wire through the crack and silently opened the window. It's shadow fell upon Damon as it silently crept to her side. Damon's eyes flashed open with the sudden adrenalin running through her system. Something was wrong she could feel it down to her soul. It was as if ever warning light was suddenly going off in her mind to this sudden wrongness in the air. Damon suddenly became very aware of the shadow lurking right above her.

"MMMMHHHPPPP!!!!"

Damon could feel the velvety bag slip over her head as her cries for help were muffled into low inaudible groans. A strong arm wrapped a death tight grasp around her body a head setting itself close to her ear.

"Scream, our make any movement that I tell you not to make then I'll kill right here," hissed a low raspy voice, " Now start walking slowly."

Damon followed what he said, fear spreading threw her like some infectious disease, with the sudden numbing coldness she could she was out the window by her bed. A sharp knife prodded her from behind urging her to keep moving so she did. Damon kept walking for what felt like hours her bare feet painfully grinded against sharp rocks from the road making it feel like they were slashing at her feet. Every once in a while she stumbled but the sharp knife simply prodded her in the back and she quickly corrected her mistake.

"Okay stop walking," ordered the voice loudly.

Fear prickled more as she realized this when she stopped. This person was now in an area were they felt comfortable to talk aloud, which probably meant that if Damon screamed people probably wouldn't hear it. Finally the bag was ripped off her head and Damon could see her captor. Damon eyes widened in shock as she looked back into the face of the innkeeper woman that was so nice to her moment before. The smiling face was no longer friendly but wicked with delight and hungry. The knife in her hand twirled about carelessly, like a child's toy. Damon looked around to see that she was in the surrounding forest away for the town.

"Sit," barked the woman jabbing her knife dangerously close.

Damon complied without much invitation though very slowly. The woman turned her back to Damon and pressed her fingers to her head and began to mutter inaudible to herself. Damon saw her chance as slowly and quietly as she could she stood up again and cautiously walked back away from the woman who was so absorbed in her own conversation that she didn't even notice. Once she was far away enough for the woman not to hear her run, Damon took off running at top speed hear an angry yell form behind her somewhere. Damon looked ahead of her to see an old abandon building in front of her and without a second thought she rushed right in. Her breathing coming in heavy gasps. She needed a place to hide before that crazed lady came or at least till dawn were it was safe to leave thanks to the light. Finally she found a place behind a staircase that was small enough to hide one person. Quietly she hide her hands fingering the charms her grandfather gave her as though it was giving her courage.

Elsewhere

Armstrong returned to the inn having searched the town again but coming up blank the two looked up to see the window leading to Damon's room wide open.

"You don't think," began Havoc nervously turning to Armstrong.

"Quickly! We have to see if she's still here," said Armstrong urgently.

The two ran for all they were worth surprising the two sleepy guards as they burst into the room the lock snapping against Armstrong's might. The two looked wildly about the room seeing the bed empty, it's covers kicked up in an awkward fashion. They both began to panic.

"She's not here," Havoc scarcely breathed.

"You gather the other soldiers, we need to go the building where all the victims were," said Armstrong to the two soldiers looking around in surprise.

"Yes sir," they both answered.

"The one just outside the town?" asked Havoc.

"Yes."

And so the two men ran to the build hoping against all hope that the Ms. Keo was still alive, and not dead.

Back with Damon

Damon could feel her fear grip her as she heard the door open and lock shut. It was so dark she couldn't tell who was there but the feeling of danger could tell her that it wasn't someone who would help her. The person moved about with easy in the dark familiar with the place. All faint traces of hope faded as she heard its voice.

"I know you're here," said the all too familiar voice of the woman, "there's no hope for escape. I know this building inside out and the front entrance is the only way out. And just for your information this is the building were all my victims ended up."

Damon fingers traced the charms on her belt. They gleamed all the more brightly, even in the dark. Her grandfather's words echoing in her ears as loud as thunder etching itself in her heart.

"Each one represents an ideal our family must live by. The heart is love, the wings are wisdom, the claw is courage, and the orb is spirit. We must live these ideals it's important that we do."

All feelings of fear drowned in her ears as a new emotion filled her being. The words 'We must live by these ideals,' and 'the claw is courage,' were only fuel to the emotion. Righteous anger filled her shutting out any fear that stayed behind. 'I'm going to become a State Alchemist; I can't die until I find them! I won't let it end this way! Not like this! I'm a alchemist so I'll fight as one!' thought Damon angrily jumping out of her hiding spot in front of her captor, whom jumped back in surprise then smiled again.

"Ah, finally excepting your upcoming death," sneered the woman pulling out the knife.

"You wish," growled Damon dangerously, her hands clapping together, "You'll regret this. Receive your punishment form the Heavens."

Then pulling her hands apart she slammed it on the ground sparks swirling around her, but not just the sparks it was all sorts of things too; wind busted threw the windows and brushed threw Damon's hair moistening it with its water particles. The earth beneath her fingers grew hot to the touch, hotter than a flames she pulled at the iron in the earth the heat shaping at it an strengthening it beyond normal finally she pulled her hand up The makings of a hilt just a few inches form her hand pulled itself up and a gleaming blade following steam issuing off the hot metal form the water particles cooling it off. Finally it was done and Damon grabbed the sword and held it in a position that most swordsmen would use. The woman stared at her in amazement the light form the alchemy still brightening the room, both unaware of the up coming soldiers that began to run faster once seeing the light. Armstrong barreled his way threw the door, Havoc trailing behind but both stopped gapping at the girls whose attention had been averted to the door. It took a brief second for anyone to realize what was happening, but before anyone could do anything the crazed woman charged at the two soldiers who were still in shock. The woman pulled out another knife and Damon finally realized what was happening.

"LOOK OUT!" cried out Damon her hand instinctively dropping the sword and clapping.

As fast as her mind could handle she slammed her hands to the ground, any thing would work. Sparks encircled her once again and headed straight for the woman. Two clawed hands with soft pinky flesh burst form the ground then a head and torso with wings then legs. It's wings were leathery and clawed long black hair cascaded to its hips were pants were a tail flicking this way and that as though to propel itself closer to its target, it's clawed feet running to the woman. Then obeying its masters wishes it grabbed the woman preventing her form getting any closer. Damon watched in amazement as her monster held the woman back form the soldiers whom looked even more stunned than before. The woman struggled savagely against the demon that bonded her then as if to strengthen its hold on her it wrapped its wings around her then turned to a stone statue.

"Are you okay? She didn't get you did she?" asked Damon to the two soldiers getting up form her crouch position.

Both soldiers snapped back to attention as they saw Damon get up picking up the sword as she went. Finally they seemed to collect themselves enough to answer back.

"Funny we were about to say the same thing," joked Havoc making Damon smile weakly.

"Amazing I've never seen such Alchemy," said Armstrong in awe.

"It's a combination of my art that I draw up, stone I use to shape the figure, and energy form the atmosphere used to make the statue move at my minds command," answered Damon surprised that she could do so, "thanks to atmospheres energies the statue comes to live and gains human like pigmentation."

"I see," said Armstrong still in awe, "But that requires a great deal of energy and not just form the atmosphere, but from the alchemist themselves. Such work has never been done before."

"I never said it was easy," said Damon and the two notice the thin line of sweat on her forehead.

All of them could hear ruckus behind and watched as other soldiers arrived. Havoc began issuing orders though they had trouble apprehending the woman whom was screaming profanities and curses at Damon. Damon walked up to the statue and placed her hand on its broad shoulder.

"Its okay, you can let her go now," said Damon to the statue.

The statue complied without any further resistance and crumbled away to a pile of stones the women forced away by some of the officers. Damon began to be questioned by a sergeant on what happened while other soldiers examined the area and sealed it off form surprised and questioning townsfolk. Once done Damon was free to rest, Havoc and Armstrong went up to her again for a break.

"Thanks to that woman's inn being so close to the train she could watch for victims," explained Havoc sitting next to Damon.

"I see," said Damon though she was really so tired that she really didn't care.

"So where will you go next?" asked Armstrong.

"I'm going to Central," answered Damon stifling a yawn, "I'm going to take the State Alchemy exam."

"You want to be a State Alchemist?"

"That's right."

"Well I'm sure that you'll do well, but you know it's best if you have a State Alchemist help prepare you for the test they can help you best," suggested Havoc smiling a lopsided grin.

Armstrong's muscles pulsed under the uniform and the man tore off the jacket revealing a well-chiseled torso, rippling with muscle. It frightened Damon so much that she honestly felt like she'd be sick.

"Let me train the girl. I will help ensure that you'll become a State Alchemist," cried Armstrong pink sparkles flying around his head.

Damon enter being revolted at the idea of being under the instruction of such a muscle head, not that she didn't like Armstrong.

"Only a Lt. Col. can train an alchemist of this level," answered Havoc shooting Armstrong's hopes down. " Though I do have someone in mind."

"Who?" asked Damon curiously.

"His is Col. Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist," answered Havoc turning to Damon, "He'll be very interested in your alchemic abilities and make sure that your taken care of while you stay in central waiting for the test. Plus he'll recommend you the hire ups, and if that happens then you work under him and with us."

Damon smiled at this it would be nice to have a friend already in the military to help her get used to the ropes.

"That sounds very nice," smiled Damon.

"Great!" cheered Havoc as he jumped up, " I'll just go give him a call to let him know about you and that your on your way."

And with that Havoc left to find a phone to tell the Col. about the extraordinary alchemist.

Dragonelf 8: Okay that's all for now. Damon alchemic ability bringing things to life mostly demon like creatures that she makes.


	7. Chapter 7

.

**Tsume-n-carnet**: I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait! Thanks for the great reviews. Now for the next installment from me! Here you go!

P.S. hopefully updates will be coming sooner as me and Dragonelf8 have a plot finally all worked out… there's even the chance of a sequel if this one continues to be well received. Thanks and Enjoy!

(A/N): I put in here that Laura knows what alchemy is, completely, and I wanted to make sure you knew that knowledge was given to her by the gate. So the whole she knows things without remembering how… it ties into that. Make sense? I just didn't want you to think I was implying that she knew it all before hand.

State Alchemist

Roy sat glumly at his kitchen table, looking over the mounds of paper work strewn before him. He had gotten up early for once, unable to sleep, and decided to get a head start on his 'homework.' He had actually managed to make a decent dent in the work, but he still had another good two hours of work ahead of him. He sighed and stretched looking over at the clock for what must have been the thousandth time. 8 o'clock. He'd been at it for nearly three hours already.

Roy would never understand his 1st lieutenant's need to torture him so regularly. He sighed and got up, deciding to brew some more coffee in case Laura woke up soon.

Roy had managed to get Laura home and settled into bed by around 6 P.M. The girl had continued to sleep quiet soundly for the remainder of the night and had yet to stir. Not that he could blame her.

He himself had hardly gotten any sleep last night, Laura's ordeal playing over and over in his head. What had it all meant? Was it possible she had remembered something of her past? And if so, what could've happened in her life before to terrify her so?

Roy had just gotten a new pot brewing when his phone rang. He stretched one more time before moving to answer.

"Roy Mustang," he greeted as usual.

"Good morning, Colonel," a woman's voice answered him. Roy noted it was a receptionist from HQ. "I'm sorry to disturb you so early in the morning, sir…"

"It's fine," Roy cut the woman off before any more apologies could be made. "What is it?"

"I have a Lieutenant Havoc on the line for you, sir," she answered.

"Havoc? Very well, patch it through."

"Yes sir." There was a pause and then a slight clicking noise as the line was connected. Havoc's smooth voice sounded through the receiver. "Colonel?" The man sounded tired and worn but excited about something.

"Havoc, what is it?" Roy started calmly, suppressing a rather large yawn.

"Hey chief, I have a report for you on the serial killing incident," Havoc started. Roy waited impatiently for his lieutenant to continue. "We've managed to apprehend the killer sir; we have her in our custody now."

Roy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He hadn't anticipated the case to be solved for at least another week.

"Well… nice job, lieutenant," he started.

"Actually, chief, it was all thanks to a free lance Alchemist we met here. She got herself kidnapped and managed to capture the killer on her own," Havoc explained.

Roy blinked a few times before finding his voice.

"Another alchemist?"

"Yes sir. She's a young woman who goes by Damon Keo and she's quiet talented. She's got an 'Elric flare' to her alchemy, if you know what I mean," Havoc explained. Roy halted what he was going to ask at the dropped hint.

"She does alchemy without circles?" he asked, hard-pressed to keep the wonder out of his voice.

"You got it. I think you should take a look at her, Chief. We're all taking the morning train to Central in about two hours. Seems Ms. Keo's got it in her head to become a state alchemist. I said I'd put a word in for her with another alchemist who may be willing to train her, sir."

Ah, that explained the call.

"And are you suggesting I take the responsibility, lieutenant?" Roy asked, his voice telling Havoc to stop beating around the bush.

"I'd suggest you take a look at her first, but yeah, chief. I'm certain she'd make a great asset to the State Alchemists," Havoc answered.

Roy rubbed his eyes, looking up as Laura emerged from the hallway and gave him a shaky smile. She had put on a maroon scoop-neck shirt with too-long sleeves and a pair of black slacks that lead down to bare feet. She still looked exhausted and worn, her dark hair falling around her shoulders, her eyes somewhat dull and tired, but Roy couldn't help thinking she looked wonderful.

"Sir?"

"I'm here," he snapped.

Roy returned the small smile to Laura before nodding to the coffee pot in open invitation. Laura smiled again before moving to get her own cup of coffee, cocking her head slightly as if to ask who he was talking to. He shook his head and mouthed 'in a minute' before turning his attention back to Havoc.

"Why don't you bring her to town, get her set up in a hotel or something, and I'll schedule an interview with her tomorrow after you're formal report," Roy instructed, raising his eyebrow as Laura dumped five spoonfuls of sugar and three of creamer into her coffee.

"Will do, chief. See you tomorrow morning," Havoc agreed before hanging up, knowing a dismissal when he heard one.

Laura sipped cautiously at her sweetened coffee, watching Roy put the phone down and stifle a yawn. Without having been asked, she picked up the pot and moved to refill Roy's empty cup on the table. Wordlessly, she picked it up and handed it to him. Roy smiled gratefully before taking a long sip.

Laura returned to leaning against the counter as she watched him. She waited a minute more before voicing the questions on her mind.

"Who was that?" she started carefully, not wanting to sound like she was trying to demand answers.

"A subordinate of mine. He's asked me to take a look at a potential State Alchemist he's come across," Roy answered, noting a mix of relief and disappointment in those blue eyes.

"State Alchemist?" Laura repeated, rolling the words around in her mind. They sounded familiar, as though she knew what it meant but couldn't quiet get a grip on it. Roy blinked a few times before slowly answering.

"Alchemists who are enlisted by the State's military for their specific talents," he explained slowly. "In exchange for serving in the military as 'relative peace enforcers,' they get funds for research and access to some of the biggest libraries and research facilities in Amestris." Even the most rural of areas had heard of that part of the military, even if one couldn't believe every rumor spread about the infamous 'Ace weapons' of the military.

'Who are you?' his mind asked the girl in front of him desperately.

Roy shook himself as Laura's eyes seem to cloud over in thought. "I have the title of the Flame Alchemist," he added, almost as an after thought.

"Alchemists…" she said slowly, her mind finally putting ideas to the word. She knew what alchemy was and what alchemists did… but that got her wondering, could she do it? She had never, to her knowledge, tried to perform alchemy… but the knowledge was there… maybe she should give it a go and see what happened?

Laura turned her blue gaze out to the back yard. It was spacious with a few trees here or there and a high wooden fence running around the large perimeter. That would do nicely.

Roy watched curiously as Laura seemed to make up her mind about something, her determined gaze fixed on the back lawn.

"Have you eaten, Roy?" she asked suddenly, nearly startling the Colonel. She turned her attention back to him and flashed a wonderful smile. Roy couldn't help but smile back, his stomach suddenly growing very demanding at the prospect of food.

"Not yet, I'm afraid I've been too assaulted by paper work to make anything more substantial than coffee," he answered, motioning to the fresh pot. Laura let out a soft chuckle as Roy's stomach made its own demands known with a loud growl.

"Poor Colonel. Let's get something in that stomach before it decides to eat you."

With that, she moved to prepare breakfast for them both, Roy relaxing at the table to watch her smooth movements. Everything was great, as it had been the day before. As Laura finished cleaning up, Roy sat glowering at the paperwork still occupying the table. Laura almost wanted to laugh at the distraught look on the Colonel's face but figured it wouldn't be polite. Instead, she decided to offer a distraction.

"How long have you been working?" she asked curiously, trying to decide which stack was finished paper work and which had yet to be filled out. They looked about the same.

"About… three hours," Roy answered, signing off on another work order.

"Care for a break?"

Roy looked up at the innocent question, looking curiously over the woman before him. There was a slight twinkle to her eye he wasn't entirely sure about.

"Have something in mind?" he checked, pen paused over paper, willing to do just about anything other than paper work. Laura was fiddling with her coffee cup, her eyes intently studying its design.

"You said you're an alchemist, right? I was just wondering… would you be willing to show me some alchemy? I'm curious to see it."

Roy blinked a few times. That was probably the last thing he had expected her to ask. He set down his pen and smiled.

"I think the back yard should be sufficient enough space…" he trailed off, standing and heading for the door. Roy heard Laura following him and he tugged his gloves from his pocket.

"How did you become a State Alchemist, anyway?" Laura asked as they stepped down from the porch and onto the lawn.

"I took the State Alchemist Exams, same as everyone else. Fire alchemy isn't as simple as some people think and they were impressed with what I could do. So I got accepted," Roy explained, flexing his hands in his gloves. He looked over to find those blue eyes intently studying the red circles embroidered on the white cloth. He held his hands out, palms down, to offer Laura a better view.

"Fire alchemic symbols?" Laura asked, lightly tracing one with her finger. At Roy's confirming nod, she turned her gaze back to the gloves. "How do you make a flame?"

"These gloves are made with a special material called ignition cloth," Roy explained retracting his hands. "When I snap," he demonstrated and a small flame sparked from between his fingers. "The cloth creates a spark and the alchemy allows me to take it from there."

"How much control do you have over the flames?"

"I can pretty much get the flame to do anything I want, from blowing things up to creating images." Roy snapped again and this time a delicate flame erupted up and twisted around until it resembled a rose in full bloom floating just above his fingers. "It takes years and years of practice to perfect flame alchemy; there are some things even I wouldn't attempt."

Laura smiled as the rose dissipated in a small puff of smoke.

"Could you teach me?"

Roy blinked a few times at the question.

"Have you ever done alchemy before?" Roy asked, nearly smacking himself as he saw a haunted look pass over Laura's features. "Never mind, tell you what, let's give you something a little more simple and see if it clicks… then we'll talk."

Laura nodded and smiled again, gratitude clear in her eyes. Roy picked up a short stick and quickly drew a simple circle on a dry patch of his lawn. He really had to look into fixing his sprinkler system.

"This is a transmutation circle. Like the ones on my gloves they are the tools scientists have developed in order to perform alchemy," Roy began explaining, Laura nodding along with him as though she knew this already. The Colonel offered the stick to Laura, indicating that she should copy his circle, tilting his head when she frowned at the offered tool. "Something wrong?"

"Can you perform alchemy without the use of circles?"

"Not usually," Roy started, his dark eyes serious. An image of Edward Elric passed through his mind and he remembered Ed telling him that his 'Teacher' had possessed the same ability. "Though there have been a few alchemists along the way who have gleaned the ability to carry out transmutations without them. It is a very rare occurrence. I only know of two living alchemists that have been able to abandon circles for good." Roy thought it best to leave out exactly how these two had gained the ability.

Laura seemed to process that fact, before dutifully copying Roy's circle in the dirt. The Colonel was about to try and explain the transfer of energy into the circle in order to activate it when the brunette simply knelt down and pressed a hand to the design. Blue light flashed around a cloud of dirt and when the dust settled, Laura was holding a slender, metal staff in her hands, looking at it judgmentally.

"Was that right?" she asked, turning blue eyes to startled black. Roy shook himself, remembering what the doctor had said about Laura regaining abilities even if she didn't remember learning them. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion that that was not going to be the last time that this girl was going to surprise him. He held out a hand for her staff.

Laura handed it over, watching as Roy ran a hand over the smooth surface.

"Pulling natural minerals and metals out of the earth and reshaping them," he mumbled. He smiled over at Laura. "Good work." Handing it back to her he activated his own circle.

Another blue flash and dust cloud and the Colonel stood with a staff to match. He smirked and then winked at Laura.

"Up for a little physical activity?" he asked, motioning to the staffs. Laura smiled in return, beginning to love that smirk. In response to the inquiry, she simply raised her staff and let her body move into a stance.

Roy raised an eyebrow at this but adapted his own stance and waited… and waited… and waited. Laura's steady blue gaze stayed locked onto a point almost dead center on his sternum. From the way she was so focused, it seemed she was waiting for him to make the first move. Roy took a steady breath, and moved.

At first, his moves were slower, softer, as he allowed himself to warm up while trying to gage Laura's skill level. However, as they moved around each other, Roy found he had apparently underestimated this young woman.

Laura's movements were quick, smooth and had a long practiced air to them. The staff seemed to weave itself about her hands as she forced Roy back bit by bit on steady feet.

For every hit Roy gained, he received at least two and even though neither of them were using their full strength, Mustang had a feeling he'd be sporting bruises by morning.

Breathing heavily now, Roy delivered a hard smack to Laura's thigh. Feeling the hit, Laura allowed her leg to buckle and fell with it, pulling her staff around to hit the Colonel's side just below his ribs.

With an undignified 'Oof,' Roy staggered back and stood looking at the woman now breathing heavily on the ground. Chuckling slightly, he offered one end of his staff to Laura.

"Truce?" the gentle teasing in his voice brought a small grin to her full lips.

"Truce," Laura agreed, grabbing the offered end of the staff and allowing Roy to pull her up.

"So," she began after they'd both had a chance to catch their breath and down some water. "Any assessment of my skills so far, Colonel?"

Roy couldn't help but chuckle at the near challenge glinting in those sapphire eyes. Well, it was better then the haunting blankness that had been lingering there for the past day or so.

"Well you picked up the energy transfer concept easily enough," he began, pulling off his gloves. "Hold on a second."

Roy ran inside to grab a notebook, a pen, and an 'intro to Alchemy' book. He found Laura sitting on the bottom step of the porch when he came back outside. He handed her the notebook and alchemic text with his usual smirk firmly in place.

"Let's see what else you pick up?" he hinted when she gave him a blank look. Returning the smirk, Laura strode out into the yard and opened the book.

They spent the rest of the afternoon experimenting with varying types and difficulty levels of alchemy until, before they knew it, it was just beginning to get dark. Calling it a day they headed back inside, Laura fixing them a late lunch/early dinner, over which she convinced Roy to let her help with his paper work. Once he discovered her quite capable, and a tad disturbing, forging skills, the colonel agreed and they plowed their way through what remained of the mountain.

Much later that night, after Roy had finished his work and the two had long since said good night, Laura found herself in 'her' room, staring at the alchemy book on her bedside table. There was something about it that was nagging at her about how much she had known today. Granted there was no way she had been anywhere close to as proficient as Roy, but for a first timer, even he had said he'd been impressed.

Laura sighed, turning back to stare at her ceiling, trying to will herself to sleep. Yeah, that was really working.

She sighed again and climbed out of bed, pulling on a sweatshirt and grabbing the book. It wasn't that cold outside, but she didn't really know how long she was going to be out there.

Setting up in the same spot she and Roy had used earlier, Laura sat down and started to read. She spent maybe three to four minutes skimming the book, maybe even less before she placed it down.

Laura really wasn't sure exactly what she wanted to try but something was nagging in the back of her mind as she set the notebook she'd brought along for circles down as well.

She knelt on the ground for a moment, struggling to pick up the hint her subconscious seemed to be trying to throw at her. Finally, she sighed and went with her gut. Roy was no longer around to see if she failed so it wouldn't matter if she ended up looking foolish.

'Might as well see what happens,' she thought dryly. Taking a deep breath, Laura brought her hands together in a firm 'clap' and placed them on the ground.

There was a bright blue flash and the ground before her began to shift and mold. It couldn't have taken more than a minute for the final shape to emerge.

Laura stood up, smiling proudly at her detailed stone statue of Roy standing in full uniform she'd seen in a picture, metal flames curled around his form, right hand poised in a snap.

"It worked?" she chuckled to herself. She really hadn't thought that she would be able to get away with that. She had to show Roy in the morning!

Smiling to herself, Laura skipped back up to her room and promptly fell asleep.

Tsume-n-carnet: I AM SO SORRY! That was entirely my fault. I'll be waiting for your next chapter Dragonelf!


	8. Chapter 8

Dragonelf 8: Wow, sorry this took so long! I've been a little busy. But here's the next chapter.  
Meeting the Flame Alchemist

Damon looked out the window of the train as the landscape seemed to whiz by in the blink of an eye. Beside her sat Lt. Havoc, Major Armstrong taking a whole seat to himself. She was way beyond tired. The previous night's events hadn't given her enough time to sleep, but then again she doubted whether she could've slept at all.

She was going to see someone to help her with the state alchemy exam, and he was in the military too so he could help her understand what to expect.

'I might have to kill people…' thought Damon pressing her lips together looking down at her hands. They both trembled as they clenched together. Could she really do that?

Damon looked back out the window to help calm her nerves. Instead of seeing the landscape though, her memory of Laura and Ericka gleamed off the glass surface. Both smiling like they had the last she had seen them while they were goofing around in Laura's place. Damon could feel her resolve strengthening as she remembered her vow to find her friends. She relaxed her hands as her face set into a determined gaze.

'I'll find you guys again,' thought Damon to herself, 'Even if it means having to hurt others I will find you again.'

Damon could feel the ache in her heart as she remembered her friends. She missed them so much! Anxiety seemed to pile as she worried about their fates. She glanced at her left arm, the metal was successfully covered and hidden from view. This was her punishment, like an angry reminder of her failure to protect her friends. If she had lost her arm, what had her friends lost? No! Damon shook her head slightly to banish the thought. She couldn't think such things now! She had to believe that they were okay and safe.

"Nervous?"

Damon looked up to see both the Major and Lt. watching her. She smiled nervously back, trying to reassure them.

"Yeah," she replied.

"Hey don't worry. The Colonel's actually really nice once you get to know him," smiled Havoc.

"Once we reach Central we'll hand in our reports. You'll have to wait for a while but the moment we're done you can see the Colonel. It'll be up to him to decide whether to help you study or not depending on your skill. Then we'll help you find a place to stay while you're in Central. Though based on what I've seen so far I have no doubt that you'll pass the exam," explained Armstrong.

"And since the Chief will get the credit for finding you, you'll be working with us. He might even get a promotion for finding another one," smiled Havoc.

'Great a rank climber,' thought Damon sarcastically. She thought back on the last thing that Havoc had said.

"Another one?" questioned Damon.

"Oh! The Famous Edward Elric works under the Chief with us. He's a lot like you. He can perform Alchemy without a circle," replied Havoc cheerfully.

"Alchemists that can do that are rare and to discover one that would join the military is important," explained Armstrong.

"Do you mean THE Edward Elric?" asked Damon as she remembered the picture of the two little boys in the Rockbell's living room.

"Yep, that's them. The living legends of the people," smiled Havoc.

"Living legends?" said Damon skeptically; Winry did make them sound like smart boys, but also trouble makers, not saviors. "Must be the wrong Elric's. The only Elric's I know are from Risembool."

Both the Lt. and Major stared at her in surprise as she continued nervously.

"This family in Risembool , the Rockbells, They helped me out a little while ago. Winry always talked about these two boys, the Elric's. In fact, she's the one that gave me the idea of becoming a state alchemist after she told me about them."

"Small world," commented Havoc in surprise. "The Elric Brothers are actually from Risembool are good friends with the Rockbells. Winry's Edward's mechanic."

"OH! Wow, Winry always made them sound like trouble makers."

"They are," said both Havoc and Armstrong together.

Damon remained silent for a while letting the news sink in. She turned back to the Lt. and Major as the train began to slow to a stop.

"So what's this Mustang guy like?" asked Damon.

"You'll find out soon," replied Armstrong, "This is our stop. We'll take a cab to headquarters."

Damon nodded and said no more for the rest of the trip. Her nervousness once again settled in her mind as she grabbed her bag with her new sword and left the train. She just couldn't find it in her to part with the blade as she had crafted it herself with her alchemy. She had moved the charms her Grandfather had given her to the blade's hilt. It made her smile a bit as it reminded her of the stories her grandfather had told her, about a brave warrior saving the world with such a sword. Damon took the claw shaped charm and rubbed it between her fingers; the simple motion comforting her as they made their way to a cab and then on to HQ.

When they arrived at last Damon released the claw, anxiety once again returning with a vengeance. Nervously she stepped out of the cab in front of the huge building. A giant green flag hung over the building's main facade.

"This way," called Armstrong as he began to lead Damon through the building.  
Damon nodded slightly as she tailed behind the mammoth man letting him guide her to their destination. Havoc walked beside her as she looked around taking in all the sights.

Finally they stopped in front of set of doors. Armstrong knocked as Havoc turned to Damon.

"Wait here. This will only take a second," he said as a deep, commanding voice shouted for them to enter.

"Hey chief, who's this?" asked Havoc as he walked in blocking Damon's view.

"She's staying at my place for a while, so treat her with the utmost respect," said the voice as the door closed.

Damon then turned her gaze to her feet, careful not to look anywhere else. She could feel all the blood drain form her face as butterflies began bashing around in her stomach with no regard to Damon's discomfort. Damon then carefully lifted her hood to cover her face so that she could appear as small as possible. She didn't look up as she heard the door open and two sets of feet leave the room.

"Come on I'll show you the cafeteria. The food there isn't really too bad," came a sharp feminine voice that had an edge to it.

Damon listened as the two finally left earshot and she was once again alone in the hall. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to remain calm.

'Laura and Ericka!' thought Damon frantically, 'Just remember them! I have to do this for them!' With that in mind Damon's nerves finally began to calm and the door opened.

"The Colonel will see you now," called Havoc to Damon.

Damon lifted her eyes to the man resting there a bit then with a deep breath walked into the office. The room wasn't too big but still fit five desks comfortably with windows facing the far wall. Finally, she looked to the center of the room.

There at the head of the central desk sat a man with hair as black as raven's feathers and eyes just as dark. His uniform was no different than the one she saw Havoc and Armstrong wear. Both men left the room to leave Damon and the man alone. Damon set her face to a determined frown, trying to show the man she wasn't scared of him, even if she was.

"So you're the one that caught the serial killer," said the man as if trying to figure her out.

Damon nodded, acknowledging the act. The man continued to stare at her, his brow slightly furrowed as his gazer seemed to be piercing her.

'Geez!' thought Damon sarcastically, 'If looks could kill.'

"I am Colonel Roy Mustang, also known as the Flame Alchemist. You are?"

"Damon Keo, sir," replied Damon.

"Damon? Strange name for a girl. Doesn't that mean…?" began Mustang.

"Demon," answered Damon, "My father had a strange sense of humor."

"Alright Ms. Keo. I heard that you can perform alchemy without a circle. Care to demonstrate for me," asked Mustang holding out a block of wood for Damon to use.

Damon walked up to the desk, observing the block for a second as she tried to figure out what to make, then clasped her hands together. Gently she placed her hands on the wood molding it to a tiny fairy statue. Mustang stared at the statue in amazement then jumped back slightly as the statue began to move and dance around his desk. After a few minutes of its dancing the fairy sat down and didn't move again.

"Impressive," said Mustang in slight awe as he looked up at Damon. "It appears that Havoc and Armstrong's report on you is true."

"I can only make them move for a short amount of time though," said Damon.

"Still that is a feat," began Mustang then continued, "Tell me, why are you interested in joining the State Alchemists? "

"Honestly?" asked Damon.

"Preferably."

"Two of my friends are missing and I need a job. I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone. If I work for the Military I can search for my friends in my spare time, it will also help with living expenses as we try to find a way home. And if they're like how I turned up than medical assistance would be necessary too," said Damon in absolute honesty.

"Medical assistance?" questioned Mustang his eyes narrowing as he eyed Damon up and down. "Take off your gloves and jacket."  
Damon did as she was told and slipped off both revealing her metal limb. Mustang took a startled breath before slightly settling down again.

"You dabbled in Human Alchemy?"

"No sir. This Alchemy was different; it caused me and my friends to separate on different parts of the world. We didn't think it would really work but somehow it did without much encouragement," explain Damon.

"Hmm… Strange," remarked Mustang, "Alright Damon I'll help you prepare for the State Alchemy exam, and even try to get you in my command, but in exchange I need you to follow all of my orders. Also you must always be as honest with me as you have been now."

"Even though my reasons are selfish?" inquired Damon slightly surprised.

"Most of the soldiers here have selfish reasons for joining the military, including me. So you're really not all that different," said Mustang, "I'll have Havoc find a hotel for you to stay at while you're here. I'm afraid my own place is already full."

"That's fine," answered back Damon.

"I'll see you in the morning so that we can begin your studying," said Mustang and with that the conversation was over.

Dragonelf 8: Okay I think that settles that for the chapter. Hoped you enjoyed.


End file.
